Ryou Bakura: Chaos Master
by DoraCatBuu
Summary: Redone as of April, 2009. Ryou wanted a normal life, and for a short while, he gets it. Until, of course, Mystics come back for revenge. With a new trap, a shooting, and eventually a city shut-down, can Ryou stop whoever's haunting him now?
1. The beginning of College

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Takahashi does, and he wants to know why my fanfics aren't funny. I think it's because of Ryou.

It'd been two years since the day Ryou had his first encounter with magic. Ryou had often thought that, at first the time increments being smaller. Then they just grew. One week turned to two, then into two months, and then into two years. And within those two years, Ryou's life had changed. He had graduated high school, and was just moving on ahead to college. To do what, he didn't know yet. But it felt nice. Life felt nice, and normal. Sami, the woman Ryou had met on that fateful day, who saved his life as well as threatened it, had decided to stay in Domino. In fact, she had lived with Ryou; an offer from his father in exchange for housework and cooking. And she had accepted. And while it was difficult to live with her – one could never be sure when Sami was ready to kill or not – Ryou found he liked that aspect of his life best. Sami had grown to be one of his closest friends, of which he felt he had few. And sometimes, it was just good to have someone other than Bakura or Yaten to speak to.

On this afternoon, he happened to be walking home from the aforementioned college. He had received a new list of books and supplies he would need that day, and as he walked, his mind went from the anniversary of the death of magic to how he would tell Sami how expensive his books would be. Within the two years of living with him, Yaten quickly saw how effective she was with money. Which wasn't hard to be, since Yaten himself had been terrible with it. Still, if anyone could find a way to get Ryou's supplies, it would be her. As long as she wasn't drunk when she figured the expenses. As he walked up the quiet road to his house, he became half-worried that that'd be how he found her. More often than not, he'd come home to her being a little tipsy. And as he walked onto his porch, he saw the main reason Sami was frequently tipsy: Bakura. The man was sitting on the porch, shotgun in hand. Ryou eyed the gun nervously.

"Bakura, what are you doing with that?" he asked skeptically, walking up the stairs and toward the door. Bakura glanced at him and huffed impatiently, the usual greeting he gave Ryou. Ryou found he might not want to know what was bothering him, after all. Normally, it was nothing important; more often than not, it was just stupid.

"Shooting pigeons," Bakura mumbled, keeping his glare directly on the bushes near the house. Ryou raised an eyebrow, hiding a half-snort. Indeed, it was nothing important; the bush looked like a regular bush to Ryou.

"Excuse me?" He had been right in assuming that he didn't care for Bakura's problem, but he'd humor the spirit regardless. Bakura turned to him quickly, one eye twitching. If Ryou hadn't known him, he'd think the spirit was a raving lunatic. Which, according to everyone else, he was.

"You heard me. Those nasty bags of crap mock me. They mock everyone!" Bakura exclaimed angrily, and then returned his nasty glare to the bushes, where he waited for his witless prey. Ryou rolled his eyes, and deciding it best not to annoy Bakura any more than needed, walked into his house. It was dim in the foyer, as the lights had been kept off in favor of the sun. Ryou walked past, and straight down the hall toward the kitchen. He smelled something faintly of burnt chicken and another pungent smell he couldn't place, and could only guess at whatever Sami was trying to cook; he prayed she wasn't drunk. As he entered the kitchen, he wasn't at all surprised to see her standing by the stove. Her wings ruffled at his movement. She didn't bother to turn around, though.

"How was your day, Ryou?" she asked calmly, and when she heard a loud thump from his bag as a response, she sighed, "Not good, I take it?" Ryou's lips tightened and he sighed heavily. Sami knew that she had hit the target, and heard Ryou slink into a seat.

"I received a pricing list from the dean today," he told her, "Everything is so expensive. Books, tools, clothing… we're lucky I decided not to live in a dorm." Sami glanced back, and gave a weak smile. Ryou tried to return it, but ended up just failing. He ended up just giving another heavy sigh. Truly, he was lucky he wasn't in a dorm. That'd leave them nearly penniless.

"We'll be fine," Sami assured, "Pierre pays me well, and I'm good with money. We'll get your books." Ryou hummed grumpily. That was one thing he could never win with her: money. Being older than him, she was pretty much in charge of the household at this point. And while that suited him, as he was only nineteen, having an overworked maid didn't. He looked up at her and shook his head. No matter how much she promised him, he would never be all right with her doing the finances solo.

"I don't want you making all of the money. It's not fair that way," Ryou stated sternly, crossing his arms, "There are other people in this house as well." Sami nodded, turning something on the stove off and removing just one pan. Ryou watched her in slight interest, but she ended up just putting the pan on a cooler burner before turning around.

"I agree," she said, "I'll talk to Katt. Ishizu said she needed help at the museum, so maybe Katt can work there." Ryou gave a half-smile, and Sami remembered that technically, he owned the museum now. If Katt wanted the job, it would depend almost entirely on Ryou.

"I'll get her the job for that matter," he stated, almost amused. Then, his tone became somber as he finished with, "That is, if I can keep it. City's getting impatient with the taxes." Sami looked at him sympathetically and hugged him when she came over. Of everything of Yaten's that Ryou had inherited, the museum was the most important to him; it represented his father's life. She sighed. She had never gotten along with the man, but she understood his work. It was important, especially for children. She couldn't let it fall into the city's hands. Neither could Ryou.

"One thing at a time," she said calmly, "Everything will be okay. I promise. I'll even drag Bakura's lazy ass into the city if I have to. It's not like he's _doing anything particularly important_." Sami raised her voice at the last part so that Bakura heard, and smiled when she received a curse and a gunshot as a response. Ryou snickered, and then sighed again. This wasn't actually how he wanted to come home. He changed the subject.

"Where is Katt, anyway?" he asked, looking at Sami calmly. She grimaced a bit. Ryou could only guess where Katt could've been.

"She's probably with Malik again," the woman sighed, "I swear, if he proposes, he'll be dead tomorrow. No sister of mine will marry anyone like him." Ryou closed his eyes, stifling a laugh. Sami had never grown to like Malik, and he knew Katt wasn't making it better by staying with him _constantly_. Ryou poked her shoulder gently, and she glanced at him, blinking.

"Be happy. She's happy. Besides, you could get married some day too, right?" Ryou asked, and when Sami gave him a confused look, he said, "Bakura tells me you're irritated and you nag on him. He says it's mostly because you're here alone all the time." Sami frowned, and let go of Ryou so suddenly, he almost fell off of the chair. Her face became gaunt, her eyes narrowing just slightly as she backed away a bit. She was offended.

"I _nag_ Bakura because he's as sloppy as your father was," she replied coldly, crossing her arms defensively, "Honestly, he wouldn't know what clean meant even if you drowned him in 409." Ryou laughed again. That part was true enough; Bakura was never one to practice cleanliness.

"I'm sorry," he replied, getting up and kissing Sami on the cheek politely, "I won't call you cranky again." She took a deep breath, and shrugged her shoulders. Technically, there was nothing wrong with that. She _was_ cranky. Hell, she was even worse than cranky. But Ryou was being nice, like always.

"Oh, it's not like _I_ can stop you," she huffed, and as Ryou left the kitchen, she called, "Dinner will be late." Ryou smiled, and walked into the living room. That gave him a little time to unwind before relaying his first day. It wasn't truly terrible, though he did recognize that many of the bullies from school were now attending his college. Then, there was his last name, and the incident involving his father's death. From what he remembered, his father had been on a plane to Honolulu to discover the site of where ruins had been reported when the engine blew up, setting the entire plane aflame. He hadn't heard directly of what had survived, but his father had been gone for over a year since, and anyone who heard Ryou's last name gave him words of sympathy about it. He shook his head as he went to the mantle.

"I'm sure if you heard about my day, you'd have me transferred," Ryou whispered, looking at the picture of his family that he kept on the mantle. He looked in particular at his parents. They had been so happy in that picture. "You also would've been happy to know about what I bought this summer," he added, taking a small ring out of his pocket. It was silver with an emerald jewel in the center. His plan had been to ask Sami to marry him, but he could never figure out when the best time to give her the ornament was. She had never mentioned marriage to him before, either. Lips thinning, he wondered if she ever considered it.

"I'm sure your old man would've gone insane and started prattling on about how he raised you and how all your oatmeal made you grow," Bakura said, walking into the house. His shotgun looked as though it had blown up, and Ryou laughed, realizing it had backfired when he shot it. At least that was something that went right, in Ryou's mind. He turned fully to face the spirit, a grin on his face.

"I'm sure my father would've been very happy," Ryou stated proudly, "Mom would've loved to meet Sami. And Amane… well, she'd have threatened to kick Sami if she didn't take care of me." Bakura nodded, and grinned as he looked at the ring in Ryou's hand.

"So, when are you giving it to her?" he asked. Ryou bit his lip, and looked away. He had no true game plan on that one, and it didn't help when Bakura added, "I hear Malik is giving one to Katt soon."

"Good for him," Ryou mumbled, "I hope he has a death wish, because Sami will probably kill him if he proposes." Bakura nodded, and Ryou noted the look of amusement as Bakura thought about the many ways Sami could get rid of Malik, most of them probably very bloody. And most of them would probably involve a very sharp blade. As little fighting as she'd done in the past two years, Sami's skill with a knife hadn't diminished. With how often she cooked, it had to have improved. Which was bad for Malik.

"Why not give Sami the ring so she's too distracted to kill Malik?" Bakura suggested, and when Ryou refused again, he said, "Why not!? Malik would do that."

"_I am NOT MALIK!_" Ryou screamed, louder than he actually meant. Sami appeared in the doorway, setting down a pot of soup. She looked over at Ryou, who was surely flustered now, and who pocketed the ring before she noticed it. She didn't see the ring, but she did notice the movement. At first, she gave him a questioning look, and then she seemed to wave it away as she looked up thoughtfully at what he said.

"I would love to hope not," she said sternly, "I don't enjoy calls about a certain white-haired thief and his blonde friend running through campus in their boxers, screaming that an earthquake will kill us." Then, she walked back into the kitchen. Bakura ran in after her, leaving Ryou to try his best not to recollect _that_ particular scene. When Sami had actually gotten the call from the college, she was beyond angry with Bakura, and had spent the next three hours yelling at him for it. It was one of the only times Ryou had seen her lose her temper so violently.

"That's not true!" Bakura cried from the kitchen, "We weren't _just_ in our boxers! We were wearing slippers, too! Besides, how were _WE_ supposed to know it just ended up being a parade of garbage trucks?" Ryou snickered as Sami and Bakura continued to bicker as they brought out the food, and walked to the table, sitting down. He ate in silence as Bakura continued to stress that garbage trucks are the cause of earthquakes, even when Sami said that if he didn't stop making a fool of himself, she'd drag him home by his earlobe. Ryou didn't mind the silence he gave. He found their argument amusing, but when dinner ended, he had already gone up to his room to study, leaving Sami and Bakura to clean up together. Sami had made no complaint, but Bakura wasn't nearly as generous.

"He could've helped you with clean up," Bakura mumbled as he brought in their plates. Sami, who was scrubbing a pot, grinned and shook her head.

"I would rather he studies for school than help me clean dishes," she replied, "Besides, that's why _you're_ here." Bakura scowled, and Sami looked up at the kitchen clock. It was nearing eight, and Katt still hadn't called. As she washed the dishes, Sami wondered what could be keeping Katt, until the door opened. Sure enough, Katt and Malik walked in. Sami mumbled something incoherent to Bakura, and left for the hallway.

"We're home!" Katt called cheerfully, but when she saw her sister's annoyed expression in the kitchen door, she clutched Malik's arm. She didn't want to be on the receiving end of Sami's anger. Which, if anyone knew Sami personally, was smart. She wasn't the easiest to deal with when she was mad.

"Where have you both been?" Sami demanded firmly, "Katt, you said you'd be back for dinner. What happened?" Katt bit her lip as a drop of sweat rolled down her face. Sami knew the answer already, but for the sake of appearing at least willing to forgive it, she asked regardless. Katt paled at first before answering; what would be believed would depend on how much Sami had drunk that night, if any at all. Silently, she hoped the woman had downed a few Scotches. But Sami hadn't.

"Sorry, sis. Malik wanted to eat out, and I didn't want to say no," Katt replied. Sami glared at Malik for a second, and then shrugged, deciding that she really would need to accept him dating her sister. There was nothing she could do to stop that, and ultimately, she did care about Katt's happiness. She gave a weak smile.

"Fine… there is some dinner left if you want it later," Sami told her, and then looked at Malik again, "Is he staying the night again?" Malik shook his head, opening the door again as he placed his helmet back on his head.

"No. Ishizu wants me back home by ten," Malik replied, and then glared at the floor, "I'm almost twenty years old. What right does _she_ have to give me a curfew?"

"She's only being your sister," Sami said, placing her hands on her hips, "You'd better get home before she decides to actually ground you. Bahamut knows if you were my brother, you'd be in a lot of trouble, as well." Malik nodded, and kissed Katt, who blushed slightly. He knew it was mostly because Sami was right there, watching them carefully. He grinned confidently, tugging one of Katt's ears.

"I'll call you tomorrow. Maybe we can go out again," he said, and Katt perked up as she hugged him and wished him a good night. Then, she watched him climb onto his motorcycle and drive off. She closed the door, and turned back to Sami as Bakura ran up the stairs, glad to be done with clean up. Sami herself seemed to retain just a bit of annoyance, but she was reserved enough to not stress it to Katt. Katt whistled after the silence dragged on for over a minute.

"So, how was _your_ night?" she asked, walking into the kitchen with Sami, who sat down and sighed. Katt joined her, feeling that the verdict would be 'not good' at best. And, to her slight disappointment, she happened to be right.

"From bad, to worse, and then to terrible," her sister replied, "Ryou's worried about affording college, and the city's really getting angry because we haven't paid the tax on the museum yet." Katt whistled again. She had tried to stay _out_ of their finances, but Sami had been getting more and more stressed out over it. And she needed _someone_ to speak to. While Katt didn't always enjoy listening to their problems, she gladly took the role. It sure wasn't like Bakura would. She patted her sister on the back, as Sami herself just looked down at the table.

"It's that bad?" she asked with slight concern, and Sami nodded, looking out the window. It was worse than bad, but she didn't feel a need to share that. Besides, Katt could hear her thoughts anyway. Even if she said nothing, all Katt had to do was read her thoughts. So, to prevent further frustration, Sami spilled everything.

"It's pretty bad, Katt," she admitted, "I can't tell him that I'm running out of money, too, but honestly, I can't afford to keep the museum running, either. I just…" Sami's voice trailed off as she clutched the table cloth. Katt blinked, looking at her sister with concern again. She had never heard Sami sound so upset before. As the phone rang, and Sami answered it, Katt considered the problem. She would have to get a job as well, then. It wasn't fair that she was living with them for free, and now with her sister admitting how badly they were doing, she knew it was true. She hated the thought of working, but Sami was much more important to her than any discomfort she wanted to avoid. She steeled herself, and watched as Sami conversed with whoever had called.

"All right, Kaiba. Thank you for the invite," Sami said, hanging up the phone. It snapped Katt out of her private thoughts, and she peered at Sami, tilting her head. Normally, Kaiba hated Sami and refused to be in the room with the woman for more than ten minutes. Why would he even invite her over? Sami noted the quizzical expression, and her mouth curled into a sly smile.

"What does Kaiba want?" Katt asked her. Sami tapped her fingers on the table, and then looked at Katt almost gravely. Katt didn't enjoy that look. It always meant something bad was going on. Then again, Kaiba did just call her. In Sami's mind, this could be very bad, indeed.

"Go get Ryou and Bakura," she said grimly, "This is something we all should hear." Katt blinked nervously, but obeyed as she got out of her seat and walked upstairs. A few moments later, she came back with Ryou and Bakura, both of whom were studying for tomorrow, even though Bakura technically had no need for college. They all came into the kitchen, Katt looking tense as Ryou glanced at Sami questioningly for an answer. Only Bakura seemed able to break the tense silence that filled the room.

"What's going on?" Bakura asked, and then his eyes widened, "Was it a tax collector!? Should I banish him?" Sami laughed, and then gestured for everyone to sit. That lightened the mood just slightly, but Katt still couldn't understand the grave attitude from before. If it wasn't someone trying to collect from them, what would make her sister seem so perturbed? Other than the fact that Kaiba called, of course.

"No, it's nothing like that," the older woman answered calmly, "Kaiba invited us to a party tomorrow. He has a big announcement to make, but he refuses to say what it is, and I have my doubts." Ryou snorted. _That_ was why she interrupted them. Because Kaiba invited her to a party. Likewise, Katt turned away and laughed. Leave it to her sister to play dramatics over silly things. Bakura was the only one who took her seriously. And in order to do that, he joked.

"Maybe he's having a baby," the old thief offered, laughing. But Ryou slapped him on the head and frowned. Whatever was going through the old spirit's head, Ryou just wasn't in the mood for.

"Bakura, Kaiba did _NOT_ get a sex change this summer. Just drop it," Ryou mumbled, and Bakura glared at him, rubbing where Ryou had managed to smack him. Sami glanced at them both, raising a curious brow, but Bakura simply ignored her.

"You never know! He's been shut in his house all summer," Bakura pointed out, and Sami intervened at that point. Even if she had no idea where Bakura's terrible suggestion stemmed from, she knew that what he said wasn't it in the least. She seemed just as unwilling to deal with Bakura's rants as Ryou was.

"It doesn't matter what the announcement is," Sami said sternly, "But we're going, and I expect you to behave, _Bakura_." Bakura glared at her as well, and crossed his arms angrily. He didn't feel she had a right to say such a pointed thing at him; he was way older than she. He knew how to behave himself. _Sometimes_.

"You're not my mother," the thief said firmly. Sami gave him an incredulous look, and nearly snorted in amusement herself. But she refrained.

"But I am the matriarch of this household," she retorted, "When Ryou is at school, I expect you to follow _my_ rules. And one of them is to not be an ass in public. Another is to look your best for tomorrow, Bakura. That means brushing your hair, and bathing." Bakura narrowed his eyes, but didn't argue. He didn't need to be lectured by what he considered a child, even though Sami could've been older than him, for all he knew. He scowled at the thought.

"Fine, _mom_," Bakura mocked, and stomped up the stairs as he mumbled, "I'm 3000 years old… I don't need a damn babysitter." Ryou stifled a laugh, and Katt burst into laughter herself. Sami, however, didn't smile at all. She didn't appreciate Bakura's mockery, and she certainly had no patience for his insolence toward her. In her eyes, unless he knew how to care for himself, which he didn't, he would always need to be told what to do and what his limits were.

"I think you made him mad," Katt stated obviously. Sami glanced at her, and held her head high, standing up and pushing her seat in. Ryou smiled warmly; she looked very regal when she became indignant. That was one thing he never minded when she argued with someone.

"Let him get angry," she said, with a tone of amusement to her, "He needs to learn manners, and I'm not going to let Ryou be embarrassed because Bakura can't control himself. Now, I'm going to head up and rest. Goodnight, all of you." She gave them both a hug and walked upstairs into her room. Ryou watched her go, and then turned back to the table, thinking his own thoughts, most of them concerning the museum, and how to pay for both it and college. He had forgotten about Katt, except that she asked him something five seconds later.

"What's wrong?" she asked. Ryou looked at her, and tears had begun to form in his eyes. He didn't _want_ to state his problems, but he knew that he was obviously upset, and that Katt wouldn't let it go, even if he asked her to. He sighed, and decided to just make it easier on both of them.

"I know that we're doing poorly on money, Katt," Ryou explained, and Katt gasped, "I… I saw Sami's logbook on our finances. I know she can't afford my father's museum. I just wish she told me. I'd have sold it in a second for her to breathe easier." Katt patted his back reassuringly as he buried his face in his hands. She silently wished she hadn't been as ignorant as she was; Sami was hard enough to comfort when she needed it. Ryou would be impossible if he thought anything was hurting Sami.

"Ryou, she didn't want you to give it up," Katt reminded him gently, "It's one of the last things of your father's that we actually decided to keep. Sami knows it means the world to you." Ryou looked at her again, and sniffled. That comforted him to know, for it meant that somewhere, his father and Sami had a healthy respect for each other, even if they never said it. But the downside to that was stress. And all of it was on Sami.

"But if she overworks herself, how am I supposed to feel then?" Ryou asked, his voice shaking, "What if something happens to her? I can't let her keep pouring away her life for my father's museum. Or for me in general. Not like this. She needs help, Katt." Katt nodded, and for once, actually hugged Ryou. His eyes widened just slightly, not expecting that from the older woman, but he understood that Katt probably felt the same way.

"I'll look for a job tomorrow," Katt assured him, "Sami wants you to worry about school and nothing else. So, I'll be the one to help her." When she let go, she winked at Ryou and then walked upstairs to her own room. But Ryou still wasn't convinced that everything would be all right. Sami had already made enough sacrifices for him over the last two years, even if they all had been from her own choice. He shook his head to clear it of that thought. It didn't matter what _her_ choice was. _He_ had to help.

"I have to do something," Ryou whispered to himself, "I… If I'm going to marry Sami, I need to be able to support her. She won't like it, but I need to show her she doesn't have to work all the time." He left the kitchen and turned out the lights in the first floor, and as he locked the door, he heaved a heavy sigh. This wouldn't be an easy path for him to choose.

"What would my father say if he saw what I let happen to my life?" he asked, as he locked and shut the door. He didn't know the specifics, but he knew Yaten would've been disappointed in him. Determined to find a job tomorrow, Ryou walked up the stairs and headed into Sami's room to check on her. She was already asleep. Not wanting to disturb her, Ryou left, this time going down the opposite way to his own room. He walked in, and closed the door. Then he sat in a seat by the bookcase and began to study silently, every so often glancing out the window.

"Sami, I promise that one day I'll get us out of this mess," he said quietly to no one. He wasn't so sure what he could actually do, but he'd do it. Besides, it could've been worse. They could've been destitute. As Ryou leaned back, he remembered that thought and let out a sigh. Sometimes, it seemed as if it'd be that bad. Sometimes, he wondered if magic would actually ever come to help him in his normal life. Sometimes, he wondered if his life would ever go back to what it had once been. And sometimes, it's best to just not think about things like that. Deciding that he couldn't study, Ryou got up and fell on his bed. Tomorrow would be better. It had to be. Sleep always made things better. Or so Ryou told himself. _Sometimes_.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

And so, the pilot for Chaos Master is done. Armed with the knowledge of his poor finances, and the knowledge that Katt's willing to help, can Ryou find a good job to support his family? And will Sami allow him to take time from his studies to help her? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!


	2. The appeals of a Job

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Takahashi does, and though he thinks Ryou would do well in college, he said a spin off show for Ryou wasn't possible.

Ryou woke up bright and early the next day, and looked at his clock. It was just after six in the morning, and he knew Sami wouldn't be up for quite a while. Quietly, he got out of the chair he'd slept in and went to the bathroom, where he quickly dressed himself in a pair of jeans, a t-shirt, and a light jacket. He tiptoed out into the hall and down the stairs, careful not to wake Katt up as he went. He stopped at the dining room. The sun was bright despite the early hour, lighting the room up and washing the first floor from the tension created from the previous night. Ryou snorted, wondering just how long it had been since he was up before Sami. He doubted it was ever, and the very thought made him chuckle as he passed by a small table in the hallway.

"I suppose I'd better leave a note," Ryou suggested, grabbing a piece of paper and jutting down a quick note to Sami, "She might worry if I'm gone too long." He left the note on the table, and then slipped outside, closing the front door. The air felt brisk, and the sunlight was strong from the Autumn weather. It promised of a beautiful day, and Ryou felt that was just as well. He needed a cheerful day for what he set out to do. He smiled, until he heard a snort. He looked over, and surely enough, Bakura was asleep on the porch chair, shotgun in hand once again, despite it being broken.

"Damn mockers…" Bakura mumbled. Ryou rolled his eyes and walked down the steps and onto the sidewalk. He looked up at the sky as he walked, wondering if anyone else would be up at this hour. The sky was a pale blue, the edges of the puffy clouds pink with the early sun. The horizon was still a hazy orange, giving Ryou the sense that he was in some sort of dream-like world. He smiled again as the sun shone on his skin, revealing him to be much paler than he thought.

"No wonder Sami worries about my getting sunburned," Ryou commented, remembering that he had spent most of the summer indoors. Stuffing his hands into his pockets, Ryou continued down the silent road. He didn't notice when someone called his name, until that person actually grabbed his arm, stopping him. Ryou blinked and then turned around to face a black haired boy, who was wearing a red jogging suit. His eyes shone a resilient red in the morning sun, and his grin was easy and wide. It was obvious this boy had smiled a lot, and his attitude told Ryou he was right.

"Morning Ryou!" he said cheerfully, "I didn't think I'd see you out so early!" Ryou smiled as he remembered who was speaking to him. It was his classmate, Shimbou. They had met about a week ago during college callbacks, and though they didn't have the same schedules all the time, they became quick friends regardless. That had lessened Ryou's nervousness about starting the school year, and assured him that he wouldn't be stranded alone for the whole year. He chuckled.

"Hello, Shimbou," Ryou replied, trying to be just as cheerful, "I'm just getting ready to look for a job." Shimbou raised a confused eyebrow, as though the thought were as foreign to him as baseball was to Malik. Ryou wouldn't have been surprised if that were the case.

"Why're you getting a job? College is hard enough," Shimbou stated, and then smiled, "Wait, I know. You wanted those new disks Kaiba Corp is coming out with. I hear you." Ryou chuckled. Though that was true, he had no intention of spending any more money on games for right now. Not until he had a steady income, anyway.

"No, that's not it. I need to start working so my roommate doesn't kill herself from exhaustion," Ryou replied casually, as they began to walk down the road together, "She insists that I focus on school, but I know she's getting upset with the finances." Shimbou's smile faded and he looked up at the sky. He had dealt with similar problems before, but was unsure of what he could say to help Ryou out. Technically, his 'roommate' was his mother, and she basically insisted she handle the problem, too.

"My mom's the same way," Shimbou commented, "Does your friend have school, too?" Ryou snorted. Sami going to school would've been as bad as Domino being bombed; the outcome would've yielded explosions left and right.

"No. She said she doesn't need to go," he replied, grinning, "So she handles the finances and getting everything paid for." What he didn't say was how much like a housewife she was. But his expression might as well have spoken for him. Shimbou just stared for a long moment, and then looked away before Ryou noticed too much.

"Wow, sounds tough!" the younger boy finally said, deciding it best not to comment, "Anyway, good luck. My cousin said that there's a game store around here that's hiring. It's not the best, but it does pay." Ryou nodded, and Shimbou clapped him on the back encouragingly. Ryou just grinned, truly appreciative that Shimbou was so willing to help him out. He was turning out to be a very reliable friend.

"Thanks. I'll keep it in mind," he said gratefully, "What do you have planned?" Shimbou looked a bit confused about the question, and took a minute to think about it. Ryou snorted, guessing he had no true plan; if he did, he wouldn't have taken so long to think about it.

"I'm just taking a jog before school starts," Shimbou finally replied, and then laughed, "Mom wants me out of the house, too. She says she can't afford to keep making me my usual four eggs and two biscuit breakfast, so I might just sneak in a few doughnuts before the day, too." He grinned widely, and Ryou couldn't help but laugh. It was no wonder Shimbou jogged so much. He didn't want his mother to know what he ate, so he'd just burn it off if he could. Not that he needed to. Ryou saw some of Shimbou's lunches some days, and was impressed with how much the boy could eat and still not gain weight. He just shook his head in amusement.

"Good luck with that, Shimbou," Ryou said through a chuckle, "Hey, if you get any spares, I'll eat them if I see you later." Shimbou nodded vigorously, beginning to jog in place to warm himself back up. He gave a half-salute.

"Sure thing, buddy. I'll ask around later and find you then!" Shimbou exclaimed, and then he jogged off. Ryou watched him go until he vanished around a corner, and then continued on his own path. He thought very carefully about what he could try, but nothing came to mind, and as he went through the shopping district, nothing appeared to be open yet, either. He scanned his brain to find what his best strengths were, but aside from making games and a small hobby of ironwork, nothing presented itself. He'd have to wing it.

"I could try to be a doctor, but the medical schooling alone," Ryou whispered, sitting on a bench, "A lawyer makes a lot of money, too, but again, the schooling would cost us too much." Sighing, he got up and walked down one of the roads through the city's center. He passed a building with a large "Help Wanted" sign, and grinned. He walked in, determined to get the job until a girl with hideously blue eyes stopped him in his tracks, mortified. Her blonde hair shone perfectly in the light, and her red fingernails were long enough for Ryou to assume that they were fake. And her makeup was too thick, making Ryou shiver as he thought of the women who lived downtown, a place he solely avoided unless Sami went with him and had a very distinct reason to go. She smiled when she saw Ryou.

"What can I do for you, sweetheart?" she purred, and Ryou backed toward the door, eye twitching with fear as he realized just what this place was. The smell of perfume was thick, threatening to choke him, but that wasn't nearly enough to scare him. No, what truly scared him was what he heard coming from the hall.

"I… I thought about getting a job, but…" Ryou didn't get to finish his sentence as the girl's grin widened to an unusual size, and she jumped out of her desk. Ryou wanted to throw up, especially as she grabbed his wrist, attempting to drag him off.

"You'll be just perfect for me, honey!" she exclaimed, "Now, you'll need to get out of your clothing, but…" Ryou screamed out the rest of her sentence, ripped his hand free, and ran out as fast as he could, not caring if he managed to break the door or not. He ran as far as he could before he had to stop. His lungs threatened to burst apart, and he panted for dear life. He had never run that fast, and he regretted going into the building at all. Letting his body rest, he leaned against a telephone pole, sighing.

"Okay, so that was a dumb idea," Ryou said, gasping, "But I'll find something… hopefully." After a minute of getting breath back into his lungs, Ryou stood up and continued down the road, where shops were slowly beginning to open. And, he was determined to look in each and every one. The first one looked promising.

"Sorry, son, but we just hired a new stockperson last week," the owner of a bookstore said when Ryou walked into the shop. Dejected, he walked into a diner and talked to the manager there, who frowned when Ryou went to inquire about the sign.

"We're not hiring anymore," she said crossly, and Ryou promptly left, heading next into a convenience store, but again, having no luck. Today was turning into a pretty bad day already, by the looks of it.

"Sorry, buy. We just filled the position," the shopkeeper informed him, and Ryou began to get very depressed at that point. No one appeared to want to hire him, and as he began to walk back home, he noticed a store called Mecca Doomers. It was a gaming store, and it took Ryou a minute to realize that it was the store Shimbou told him about. And, it had the "Help Wanted" sign on it; very convenient, Ryou quickly decided. His spirits rose to an incredible height as he walked inside. The store was small, but from what he saw, it was well-stocked. And it was in a good district. If he played his cards right, so to speak, this had advantages. He immediately spoke with the owner of the store, who seemed to actually consider him for the job.

"You want yourself a job, eh?" the man asked, and when Ryou nodded, he narrowed his eyes, "You're not just here for a few weeks, are you? We need a committed worker, son."

"I'll stay as long as I can, sir," Ryou replied, "I just need a job. See, I'm having trouble, and I'll take anything. I'll work hard, I'll…" The boss laughed, and clapped Ryou's shoulder. This man obviously had a good sense of spirit to him, and seemed to take Ryou's answer to be genuine. He smiled calmly at Ryou, walking him over to a small table in the back room.

"Easy, boy! I didn't discount you," he laughed heartily, "In fact, I'll consider you! But you'll need to fill this out. For formalities, of course." He handed Ryou a piece of paper, and Ryou sat down to fill it out. It was a standard form, one that he'd gotten used to filling out back when he was looking for a summer job, just to be able to get away from Bakura. When he was done, it was as such:

Name: Ryou Bakura

Age: 19

DoB: September 2nd, 1986

Gender: Male

Nationality: Japanese

Education: Domino High (graduated)

Occupation (past and present): Student, owner of Domino Museum

Name of Legal Guardian/relation: …

Ryou froze when he came to that question. His father had died, and though Bakura was much, much older, he didn't think a spirit counted as much of a guardian. He asked if the question was necessary, and when he was told it was, he racked his brain. The only person he could think of was Sami, but that wouldn't be accepted. A roommate was no guardian, no matter how old she was. Biting his lip, he shakily began to scribble her name down. He had just one way for her to be a legal guardian.

Name of Legal Guardian/relation: Sami K. Winchester (wife)

He knew that if she found out, she would kill him, but he handed the form in when he was finished, praying that the boss wouldn't ask him about it, and praying even more that Sami would never know about it. The boss looked it over carefully, and raised his eyebrow at the last question. Ryou certainly didn't look old enough to be dating let alone being married. Ryou was sure he was done for.

"You're married, son?" the man asked, and Ryou nearly choked, "Why're you looking for a job here if you've got yourself a woman to support?" Ryou's cheeked were flushed with crimson, and though Bakura wasn't with him, he heard a snort from inside his mind, and realized Bakura had been spying on him. Damned spirit.

"I… I… I," Ryou stammered, unable to form an answer. The boss shrugged and put the paper down.

"No need for me to know, I guess," the man said, smiling, "At any rate, Mr. Bakura, you've been officially hired, so go talk to Nanisaka about your uniform." He shook Ryou's hand forcefully, nearly knocking the boy into the desk.

"T-thank you, sir," Ryou said, as Bakura continued to laugh. The boss smiled.

"You're welcome, boy," he replied, "Oh, and call me The Boss. Everyone else here does." Ryou nodded, and walked out of the office toward the front of the store again. He saw a young girl sitting in a chair, wearing an outfit for a character to Dead or Alive, and assumed she was Nanisaka. When he asked, he found that she was.

"So, you're the new kid the boss hired to help me run this dump, eh?" she asked, and when Ryou nodded, she tossed him a uniform, "Well, put this on." Ryou unfolded it, horrified to find that it was an outfit for a comical schoolgirl with a cat-hat. He blinked, wondering if anyone could actually make him wear it. He decided to try his luck as he handed the suit back.

"I can't wear this," he said, and Nanisaka stared at him, slapping her magazine down on the counter in annoyance. Obviously, she was going to be one of the more irritated co-workers Ryou would be dealing with. He held his breath, not liking where this could be leading as she stood up.

"Why not?" she asked, though she was disinterested in the actual answer. That gave Ryou just a bit of relief, and he continued his point.

"I'm not a girl!" Ryou exclaimed, "And this outfit is clearly for women!" Nanisaka rolled her eyes and shoved the hat onto his head, earning a scream from Ryou as he tried to wriggle out of it. But, it didn't budge. Whatever Nanisaka did, the hat stayed on his head, and miserably, he knew he had lost the argument.

"You look like a girl to me, so just shut up and put the uniform on before I shove it up your little ass," Nanisaka said. Ryou grew red with anger, and stormed into the bathroom. He shoved the uniform on furiously, cursing himself for his bad luck. He hated to have to wear such a stupid costume, but the thought of making someone like Nanisaka angry was much worse. When he zipped up his shirt and finished with the bottom half, he turned in the mirror, eye twitching. He looked just like a girl. A very flat-chested girl, and he wanted to punch the mirror in for it, too. Clenching his teeth, he stormed out of the bathroom, intent on surviving his first day on the job and praying Sami's day was going far better.

---

Sami slowly sat up in her bed, looking at the clock. It was near ten in the morning, definitely much later than she was used to sleeping. She blinked, and her vision cleared, but was still blurry, even when she slipped her glasses on. Reaching over, she looked up, half expecting to see him standing over her, watching to make sure she didn't punch him for waking her up. Not that he had, and not that he could; he wasn't even there. And that wasn't normal. She blinked again, though considering the time, she wasn't entirely surprised. For all she knew, he had school. She bit her lip.

"Ryou?" she called, and looked at the door to the hall. She didn't hear him out there, either. Grumbling, she rolled out of bed and went to the bathroom, throwing on her uniform, which consisted of a black dress with a white hair piece, with a smaller white apron down the front. Then she washed her face, looking at herself. Still the same person she was three years ago, and not a line of age to show for it. She frowned. Sometimes, being non-human sucked. Ryou was already aging a bit, and if she didn't do the same soon, he'd become an old man and she'd still look like she was in her twenties. Then again, she did have about twenty more years before she worried about that. She snorted.

"I'll worry about it when I take care of getting us out of debt," she decided, and left the mirror, grabbing her keys off of the sink. She walked out of the bathroom, left the room, walked down the stairs, into the bright hallway. She passed the table and went straight into the dining room, where Katt was currently eating a bowl of cereal.

"Hey, sis!" Katt exclaimed, waving cheerfully. Sami nodded, and picked up her bag, though Katt noticed she was distracted. She looked at her sister, her spoon dangling from her mouth. Sami caught the more than quizzical look, and slung her bag over her shoulder. It was heavier than she last remembered.

"Katt, have you seen Ryou?" Sami asked, peeking into the kitchen. Still no sign of the boy. Katt tilted her head, and then handed Sami a piece of paper. Sami took it and read it. Her eyes hardened, a true sign that she was _not_ happy. Katt's lips thinned, expecting that kind of reaction. Before Sami had a chance to blow, she explained the situation.

"He says he's looking for a job and that he'll see you later tonight," Katt stated as Sami read, and then sighed. Of everything, this was something she hoped to avoid. Now there was nothing she could do to talk to him, as she was already running late for her own job. She folded the note and stuck it in her pocket, shaking her head. To her, he was being a bit of an idiot.

"I told him not to worry about this. Why would he rush out and find a job?" she asked, and Katt bit her lip. Sami looked at Katt, and knew that her sister was hiding something. Her eyes narrowed further, and Katt paled. She knew she couldn't lie to Sami; the woman was a pro at finding lies. Nothing would slip past her.

"I told him what you told me last night," she replied quickly, and Sami glared angrily, her eyes becoming even harder. Katt gulped, realizing she made a huge mistake. Sami's ears lowered, and Katt felt a ripple going up her spine. Sami looked downright scary when she was angry with something, and she was definitely angry with this as she walked threateningly towards her sister.

"…do not _ever_ tell him anything I confide in you unless I tell you to," the older woman said grimly, and then opened the front door, "I'll see you later. I'm late for work." Katt stood up, running to the front hallway as Sami almost closed the door. She couldn't spend the whole day worrying that she pissed the wrong person off.

"I'm sorry! Sami, he was worried," Katt pleaded, "I had to!" Sami looked down at the floor, and then at Katt. Then she shut the door and left without so much as a goodbye, leaving Katt to stare at the doorway for a minute before returning to the table, staring at her breakfast in silence. For a reason she wasn't surprised with, she was no longer hungry.

---

Ryou endured most of the day by reminding himself that he was doing this job to support Sami, but by the time two in the afternoon rolled around, Ryou found that he would've just liked to jump off a cliff instead. Many people had made fun of him for wearing a girl's uniform, and Nanisaka didn't help to lessen the load at all, even when a father angrily yelled at Ryou for charging nearly two hundred dollars on a gaming system.

"I hope you go out of business, thief!" the father angrily spat, storming away. Ryou shivered, ready to break down from the stress, and Nanisaka's only approach to his torment was to tell him to go on break, which he had done three times already. His torment was worse when a boy came in, demanding a booster pack for Duel Monsters. Reluctantly, Ryou filled the order, though the boy's attitude made him wish he had borrowed Bakura's shotgun.

"You know, you're a pretty hot girl," the boy said mockingly, and as Ryou bent down to get a pack that had fallen, the boy added, "Nice ass." His friends laughed, and Ryou yelped, standing up and blushing crimson. But in a flash, he saw that someone gripped the boy tightly and spun him around, and a familiar grim voice growled angrily.

"Get out before I remove you myself," Ryou's heart rose when he heard Sami scold the boy, who ran out in terror from her dark expression; he probably thought she was a monster. Or a mercenary. His friends followed, and Sami leaned on the counter, looking at Ryou very sternly. His smile faded, but that didn't lessen his relief. It also didn't lessen the thought that Sami might very well think he looked ridiculous. Which, of course, he did. But he didn't care. He was just happy to see her.

"Sami!" he exclaimed, hugging her, "What're you doing here?" He looked at her face, and actually frowned. She looked very unhappy, and he had a feeling he knew why.

"Bakura told me where you were, so I wanted to make sure you didn't get into too much trouble," she replied as she pulled away, "Looks like I'm too late, though. You honestly thought to work _here_?" Ryou nodded, looking away. He didn't want to tell Sami what he knew, but if she already figured that out, he was cornered either way. There was no sense keeping the truth from her.

"I found out about our finances," Ryou said, and Sami's frown deepened, "Katt told me last night. Sami, why didn't you tell me?" Sami's lips thinned in disapproval before she gave him her answer. Not that it was an overly decent one; they'd gone through this once before, and her answer hadn't changed.

"Because I didn't want you going through _this_," she replied flatly, "Now, get in the car. We're going home. We have a party to get ready for." Ryou smiled, as he had completely forgotten the party, and was eternally glad that Sami had come to bring him home. He nodded, but a figure at the door stopped him from moving before he could get to the bathroom to change. Even Nanisaka froze in place, and Sami slowly turned to find that once again, Ushio had plagued them. Her ears lowered as he stepped in. She remembered him from a while back, and patted Ryou's arm to steady him. He became twice as pale, and Sami was partly worried he might collapse.

"Well, well, well, once again, Ryou Bakura has proven that he's a better woman than his little friend," Ushio commented smugly, "How flattering, huh?" Ryou looked away, wishing he really had something to shoot either himself or his customers with. Sami, however, raised her chin, and Ryou had the distinct impression that she'd either succeed in ridding the place of Ushio, or in getting a very black eye. He glanced at her with panic, and found that indeed, she was going to engage the bully again.

"Buy something or leave," Sami stated calmly, "Otherwise, I will remove you from the store myself. Terrorizing the employees here is against the law. It counts toward harassment, and I don't think the police will appreciate seeing you _again_." Ryou's mouth dropped as Sami spoke. She had absolute confidence and didn't seem to care that Ushio was easily a foot taller than her. He bent down, his eyes glaring into hers threateningly. But, she didn't falter in the least. Ryou prayed she wouldn't get hurt.

"Are _you_ messing with me, _bitch_?" Ushio asked, and Nanisaka let her magazine drop, looking over at Sami with a mixture of actual respect and controlled fear at the situation. With that tone, any sane person would've dropped dead. But Sami wasn't entirely sane.

"Seriously, lady, that's not a smart move," Nanisaka commented, but Sami ignored her even as she warned, "We don't sell insurance. Just back away."

"Sami, let's just go home," Ryou said, but again, Sami ignored him. She kept her gaze locked on Ushio, an internal stare-down brewing between them. Ushio broke it to glance at Ryou, snorting in amusement.

"What's wrong, Ryou? Afraid I'll pound her into little bits?" Ushio asked, and this time, Sami snorted, earning a sharp glare from the bigger man.

"I'm sure he's afraid I'll set you ablaze and char your innards," Sami spat, "But that's not nearly satisfying enough now." Ryou bit his lip, just wishing he could take Sami and run away before either of them were sent to a hospital, but Ushio beat him to speaking. He bared his teeth menacingly at Sami.

"Shut up, bitch," Ushio demanded, and before he could respond, Sami slammed him right in the face, sending him flying right out the window, hurtling toward a dumpster and rolling down the hills behind the store until he finally fell right into the river that cut across the city. Sami stared just a moment longer to make sure he wouldn't come back, and when he didn't, she turned, took Ryou's wrist, and promptly strode to the door.

"We're leaving," she commanded, and without protest, led Ryou out of the store and into their car. She drove in silence, as Ryou processed what had happened. He had never seen Sami attack someone so quickly, and yet she silenced not one, but two bullies within ten minutes. He had barely dealt with two successfully in his entire life. The strength at which she spoke inspired him somewhat, but the fear she instilled was far stronger. She didn't carry herself with the normality of being a twenty-three year old woman. He glanced at her, wincing when he saw her fury hadn't yet subsided.

"Thank you," he whispered, but Sami didn't smile. Instead, she looked at him and said the honest truth.

"You need to grow a backbone," she said, and a pang of rejection hit Ryou, "I can't keep picking those insolent little bastards off of you. Ryou, why did you take that job?" Ryou didn't answer, having been too ashamed of himself at that point. Sami felt a bit of sympathy, and didn't press the question further as she pulled into the driveway. They got out of the car as Bakura shot at a crow, and it fell to the ground, dead. Sami blinked just once, unable to decide how she should react to that, but Ryou couldn't control himself. He finally snapped.

"What the hell?" Ryou blurted out, and Sami laughed, taking his arm and walking up to the porch, only to find Bakura cheering about his incredible accuracy, with Katt shaking her head in utter disapproval. It was obvious that she had _tried_ to stop him, and ended up failing. Sami wasn't surprised for that, either. Nothing would stop Bakura or his bouts of utter insanity.

"He's moved onto crows now," Katt sighed, sitting on a stair, "Sami, this is getting ridiculous."

"I agree. Bakura, what are you doing?" Sami demanded. Bakura scowled and stood up, discarding the dead bird as he threw it over the fence. He turned to face Sami, his expression both grim and proud at once, if that was actually possible.

"Killing the true mockers," Bakura growled, "Pigeons are nothing compared to _these_ bags of shit." Ryou took off his hat, laying his head against Sami's arm as she glared at Bakura. She was close to snapping at the old thief, and Ryou could sense it was taking every ounce of her reserve to not do so. He decided to speak up, if only to let her calm down.

"What did they do to you?" Ryou asked gently, though in actuality, he knew he didn't care. He just wanted to go inside, wash up, and get the party over with before Sami… or himself… went insane from the day. Considering what had happened, that seemed inevitable. So it was almost ironic that he asked Bakura for an explanation.

"Well, I was waiting for the bus so I could get downtown and replace my gun, right?" Bakura asked, and when Ryou nodded, he continued, "Well, I heard something, and when I looked up, three of these little crapbags were cawing at me. AT ME! They were laughing! It was like some sort of sadistic mental language only their birdly senses could understand! It was pure mockery, so I decided to take them all down before they overran us!" Ryou rolled his eyes, and Sami continued to stare in complete disbelief, even as Bakura grinned when he shot another bird out of the sky, only to land in one of Sami's bushes, knocking it to the ground.

"You need to be admitted to the asylum," Sami stated, and then turned to Ryou, "I'm going to bathe. You should change too, and make sure Bakura wears something acceptable or he's not coming." Ryou laughed, and Sami walked inside and shut the door. Bakura glared angrily as the woman left, and Ryou raised an eyebrow, wondering just what could've been going through Bakura's insane mind. At that point, it was probably consisting of banishing Sami.

"_I'M NOT A CHILD, YOU KNOW!_" Bakura roared, but Sami either ignored him or didn't hear. Ryou let him storm inside, and then Katt went in. He looked out over his yard, and then sighed as he saw ten other dead birds lying in it. Bakura would be a real problem, but he'd pull himself together if Ryou threatened him. And Ryou planned to do everything within his power to stop Bakura from making a fool of himself. Tonight was important to Sami, and if Bakura ruined it, Ryou promised himself to take a gun to Bakura's head and personally see that the spirit had a new 'home surgery' that night. Lips pursed, he walked up the stairs, making a mental list of what needed to be done before the party. It was daunting.

"I'd better get started…" With that, Ryou walked inside of his house, closing the door. He had only a few short hours, and a lot of talking to do, before he could leave his house again.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

And so, not only does Ryou have a job, but now he needs to get ready for Kaiba's party as well. Can he help get Bakura under control, or will Sami blow her blood vessels on the old thief? And what _is_ Kaiba's party about? Who will be there, and what shocking news will Kaiba uncover? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!


	3. The Worst Party Ever

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Takahashi does, and he insists that I invite him to Kaiba's party. It's not happening.

Within the hour, Ryou managed to take a shower, get dressed, and he even was able to get Bakura to promise to behave himself. Considering the thief's usual disposition toward anything even relatively social, Ryou counted it as a blessing as he fixed something onto his coat. They had discussed it briefly, but Ryou made it clear that if Bakura did anything embarrassing, he'd be sent home, or even worse if Sami happened to call him on it. And as much as Bakura hated being threatened by _Ryou_, _Sami_ was more than adequate for making him swear to be a 'good boy' for the rest of the evening. After that, the two hadn't spoken, each of them doing their best to make themselves presentable to one of Kaiba's events. Ryou learned a long time ago that that was a nearly impossible task. He attempted it anyway.

"Ryou, hurry it up or we're leaving without you!" Katt called after a few minutes had passed, "Sami's outside waiting, and I'd hate to be the one that makes her wait!" Ryou had to chuckle; Sami was _incredibly_ impatient when it came to something like this. He tugged the brush through his hair just once more, and then set it down, running down the stairs. Katt was waiting for him by the banister, with Bakura just a bit behind, mumbling something in a language Ryou didn't recognize. Like Ryou, Bakura was in a tuxedo, much to his disliking. Katt was in a beautiful blue dress that, while slim and fitting close to her body around the torso, eventually spanned out like a fan around the calves. Both of them looked incredible to Ryou.

"You look lovely, Katt," Ryou complimented, and Katt smiled as Ryou said to Bakura, "And you clean up well, too." Bakura rolled his eyes and stormed out to the car as Katt walked out with Ryou. Both of them laughed at how stiff Bakura was walking as he slammed the door to the car, having climbed in and ignored Sami's questioning look. Sami herself was waiting in front of the car, and Ryou couldn't believe how well her own outfit looked, either. Her dress was pure black, fanning out at the ends like Katt's did, with a rose in the center. Her hair, normally tied in a bandana, had been let down for the evening, and because of that, it was just a bit wilder than Ryou would've thought. Either way, she looked the most regal, and Ryou didn't hide that fact as he said, "Sami… you look amazing!"

"Thank you," she replied, and then tossed him the keys, "Will you please drive? I don't know where Kaiba lives, and I don't want to ruin this dress." Ryou nodded. He didn't want her ruining that dress, either. Politely, he helped both women into the car. Then he climbed into the driver's seat as Bakura sat down next to him. He started the car and then drove down the road towards the general direction of where Kaiba lived. He didn't need to tell Sami he didn't exactly know the place, either.

"So, what do you think Kaiba wants to tell us?" Katt asked, as they passed a marketplace that was closed. Sami, who was looking out the window, shrugged, and Ryou noticed that it seemed almost uncomfortable as one sleeve bunched just a little. She appeared to have ignored it.

"I wish I knew, but he wouldn't tell me," she replied calmly, "It must be important, though, because he insisted that we come. Perhaps he's going bankrupt?" Bakura snorted as Ryou turned down a quiet street into the richer part of Domino. If that were true, Kaiba wouldn't tell _anyone_ about it. He'd keep it as secret as he could, if only to stop his own humiliation.

"Yeah, and I'm _not_ the greatest thief in the world," Bakura joked, "I bet it's something like him producing a new duel disk." Ryou continued the drive as Sami and Bakura debated on what the announcement could be, both ruling out that it probably wasn't a new duel disk. The whole ordeal took around half an hour, and when he finally did make it, he parked the car in a driveway, and everyone climbed out. The sight of the mansion was shocking, even for Sami. No one had been to Kaiba's house in two years, and although Ryou was expecting a level of elegance, Kaiba seemed to have taken it to an unreal degree. A large, wrought-iron fence protected the premises, but Kaiba added a swimming pool to the yard, along with a better improvement for the porch. The scent of flowers were strong, as Sami wrinkled her nose irritably. They walked to the door, and Ryou knocked using one of the lion head knockers on the door. To their surprise, Joey answered.

"Hey, guys! Welcome to the party!" he exclaimed, letting them inside. It smelled of expensive food, and Ryou saw that many people had already arrived. Rex Raptor was serving punch, and everyone else was just mingling, dancing, or avoiding everyone else. Joey told them briefly about what had happened since the party began, and then left them a short while later. Sami looked around for something, and Ryou tried following her gaze, but with so many people wandering around, it became impossible to know what she might've been looking for. She finally turned to Ryou.

"Ryou, I'm going to find Tea," she stated, and when Ryou nodded, she left. Katt saw Malik and immediately walked over, Bakura trailing slowly to talk to Ishtar, who looked equally as disgruntled to be there. Ryou chuckled and then went to the food table, where Yugi was. He beamed when he saw the white-haired man.

"Ryou! I haven't seen you for a while," Yugi exclaimed, and clapped Ryou on the shoulder, "College dragging you down?" Ryou smiled weakly as he reached for a glass. He was happy to see Yugi, but it had been nearly a year since he'd even heard from his old friend. And he knew he was partly responsible; ever since his father's death, he let his friendships drift apart. He shrugged.

"No, it's more like life in general," he replied, slowly at first, "Sami and I are struggling, but hopefully things will pick up once I start work." Yugi nodded with understanding, but Ryou didn't appear to like the heavy air around them, so he asked, "How about you?" Yugi smiled again, oblivious to the change in subject.

"I'm great! Yami and I've been working to keep the game shop running," Yugi explained proudly, "I mean, we can't do it like Grandpa did, but we're pretty close! Yami's much better than I am, though. He can get people to buy two or three card packs at once sometimes." Ryou laughed. Yami was always sneakier than he ever wanted to admit, and that skill often helped him and Yugi, whether it was in a duel or during a sale. Even Bakura had admitted once that Yami might very well be better than him at swindling.

"How's it going with you and Tea?" Ryou asked. Yugi bit his lip.

"We broke up," Yugi explained, "She wanted to go to New York, but I wasn't ready to give up the game shop. We tried to work it out, but long-distant relationships are harder than either of us had time for. We just decided to end it. It felt better that way." Ryou looked down thoughtfully. He didn't like to hear that his friends were having that difficult a time, but he was glad that somehow, it did end up working out.

"Are you two still talking to each other, though?" he asked, and Yugi nodded vigorously.

"Of course! Actually, she's going out with Kaiba now," Yugi replied, smiling again, "Tell you truth, she hasn't been happier. I mean, it's a little weird, but if she's happy, so am I." Ryou's mouth dropped, not only at the news, but at the tone in Yugi's voice. He hadn't meant to, but his voice did break a bit at the last sentence, and unfortunately, Ryou did catch it.

"It'll get better," Ryou assured him, smiling weakly, "How's Yami doing?"

"He's fine. He's lurking around here somewhere," Yugi said, glancing around, "He wasn't happy to be coming, but once I told him Sami was coming, he decided to join. He missed her this summer." Ryou nodded, knowing that over the past two years, Sami and Yami had become as close as siblings. Whether it was due to them actually liking each other or them just enjoying their combined intelligence, Ryou wasn't sure, but he was glad Sami made an effort to retain one very good friendship.

"Likewise, Sami's been wondering where he's been, too," Ryou admitted, "She's been worried about you two since your grandfather passed." Yugi nodded, looking down. Any mention of his grandfather still hurt, but he was grateful that Sami was concerned. He also knew Ryou was worried as well. He looked up and smiled.

"I'll make sure she knows we're both fine," Yugi said brightly, "Anyway, I'd better go find Yami before he does something he'll regret later. He's not good when it comes to partying." Ryou laughed, and Yugi departed, disappearing in the crowds of people. Ryou sipped the rest of his drink as Sami came back, looking frustrated and almost weary. Either she did find Tea, or she hadn't and decided to give up.

"What's wrong?" Ryou asked, as Sami sat down in a chair. She looked at Ryou and then sighed.

"Tea talks too much these days," she mumbled, "Did you know that Miho wanted to try dating both Tristan and Kaiba three years ago?" Ryou stifled a laugh and simply nodded, though he had no idea himself about that. Sami shook her head with disapproval and took a cup of juice as she said, "Honestly, I'm not sure how she would've had that happen. That would be no different than if I started sleeping with Bakura." Ryou choked, as the thought ran through his head. He definitely didn't want that happening, no matter how close he and Bakura were.

"You… wouldn't, would you?" he managed to whisper. Sami looked at him, noting at once how jealous he sounded, and shook her head.

"Not a damn chance. Not even if I was drunk," she said, and Ryou snorted, "I'd have to be dead before he tried that, and even then, I'd try to kill him." Ryou nodded, and felt a pang of regret for his moment of jealousy. He saw Tea out of the corner of his eye, and felt Sami let go of him, sighing. She looked patient, but he knew she wouldn't listen to gossip forever.

"Sorry to lose you like that, Sami," Tea said, walking over, "Yami managed to fall into the garbage bin, so I had to pull him out." Sami actually snickered, the thought very comical to her. Yami was never usually spastic, but he had his moments. And judging from what Tea said, she had missed one.

"Is he all right?" she asked, still chuckling. Tea nodded.

"Probably a bit dazed, but he's fine," Tea replied, trying not to laugh, "Anyway, dinner's almost ready. Do you want to join me and Miho for a bit?" Sami looked up at Ryou, wondering if he'd mind, but when he smiled approvingly, she left with Tea, and surely enough, the dinner bell struck. Everyone gathered around the large table in the dining room, where plates upon plates of food sat steaming. Bakura's mouth was issuing a tiny bit of drool, and Ryou heard Tristan's stomach growl hungrily. Surely enough, Kaiba appeared, grim and dark as ever. His appearance sent a shiver up Ryou's spine, but only Joey seemed particularly happy to see him appear. That meant they could eat.

"Thank you all for joining us today," Kaiba said gruffly, "I've prepared a large feast for you all, because whether I like it or not, you all are friends. Therefore, I implore you to eat your fill." With a clap of his hands, everyone sat and began to serve themselves. When Bakura saw the chicken, duck, and quail, his eyes widened, but a quick glare from Ryou kept his mouth shut, and he silently accepted the food, if only because he remembered the threats Ryou had given him.

"Are you sure you heard them right?" Ryou heard Sami ask as she and Miho grabbed their food. He noticed that somehow, Tea wasn't with them. He glanced around, wondering if he had heard her right beforehand, but she wasn't there.

"Yes. I heard the words 'marriage' and 'announcement' last night as I passed them," Miho replied, and Sami looked thoughtful. She didn't normally believe gossip, but Miho sounded very sure of what she had heard from Kaiba and Joey when she had seen them at the mall. She assured Sami it wasn't between _them_, but for some reason, Kaiba was confiding in Joey.

"I'm not sure it means anything," she replied, passing a plate to Miho, "They could've been talking about another wedding. Maybe Kaiba is helping Tea plan for hers. Or vice versa." Miho raised an eyebrow as Sami ate a roll. Normally, she'd have let Sami dismiss the subject like that, but this was too different for her to just let go.

"But neither have a partner," she reminded the older woman.

"Maybe we should ask Mokuba," Serenity, who'd been sitting across from them, chimed in, and then the rest of the conversation was lost. Ryou sighed and then focused on his dinner. The food was rich, nothing Kaiba wasn't used to, and he enjoyed the wine as well. But he saw Bakura twitching out of the corner of his eye. At first, Ryou considered hitting the old thief on the head, but he knew if he did, he'd possibly cause an even bigger interruption than Bakura would. Malik also caught Bakura's wide-eyed glare, and raised an interested brow as he motioned toward Ryou.

"What's wrong with Bakura?" he asked, leaning over to whisper to Ryou. Ryou looked over, and aside from Bakura's occasional twitch, he saw nothing that could've been bothering the old thief. He just prayed Bakura would keep calm and remember what they had talked about before leaving.

"I don't know. Maybe…" Ryou was cut off as Bakura stood up and stabbed a quail with a knife.

"_DIE, MOCKER!_" he screeched, and Ryou hid his face with his hands. Everyone stared at Bakura, who crossed his arms and said, "It was moving! I saw its wings twitch!" Sami gave Bakura an icy stare. Ryou could feel the anger rising in her, and was sure she would lose it quite soon. To his surprise, she didn't.

"Bakura… Sit down. _Now!_" she said sternly, and Bakura sat. Then dinner resumed, though for Bakura, it was nothing short of torment. He swore his dinner moved, and every so often, a wing really did appear to twitch. He knew both Sami and Ryou were watching him, but finally, he couldn't stop himself. He stabbed the quail again, and finally, Kaiba threw him outside after his interruptions became almost constant. He landed on the grass, and stood up to run back inside, but as he turned, he heard something chirping. And, although it should've been too late for any bird to be out, Bakura recognized the call instantly. It made his blood boil.

"I hear you, you disgusting little mocker!" Bakura hissed, and when he threw a stone into a bush, tens of hundreds of birds rushed at him, flapping around him angrily. They squawked, and Bakura picked up another rock, hurling it at a particularly large bird. It missed, crashing through the window and slamming into Tristan's plate, spraying him and Duke Devlin with potatoes.

"What the hell was that!?" Tristan asked, as Duke jumped up. Both had been shocked by the ballistic, but Duke reacted much faster, much to the disadvantage of Tristan.

"So, you're going to be a bastard because I asked Serenity out, huh!?" Duke demanded, picking up a roll. Tristan looked at him with confusion, some of the mash dripping down his cheek. To him, that should've been proof enough of his innocence. Also, it'd been physically impossible, but the look on Duke's face told Tristan he'd have no part of logic.

"Dude, I didn't do that!" Tristan pleaded, "My potatoes just exploded!" Duke, however, didn't appear to care as he hurled the roll at Tristan. Tristan ducked, and though the roll missed him completely, it hit Tea in the head, and her head fell into her soup, spraying herself, Sami, and Rex with stew. Ryou sighed, knowing now that the inevitable would be happening; the party was officially ruined.

"JACKASS!" Tea screamed, throwing a baked potato at Duke. Her aim was off terribly, and she slammed Yami in the face, causing him to spit his wine all over Ishtar and Yugi. Yugi threw his water onto Yami in shock, and Ishtar slapped Yami across the face. Shocked, dazed, and having no idea what he did wrong, Yami stood up only to slip on a puddle and fall backwards into Malik's dinner, spraying him and Katt with pasta sauce. Angrily, Malik slugged Yami in the face, and he fell over again. Sami finally stood up to end the feud, but as she opened her mouth to speak, the turkey slammed her in the back of the head. Everyone fell silent, and whether they could sense her anger or not was irrelevant. Everyone knew that as soon as she even stood up, someone was in trouble.

"Which one of you… childish ingrates… _threw that AT ME!?_" she demanded furiously, her expression being one of such terror that Malik was sure even Obelisk or Slifer would cower in pure horror. Silence reigned heavily in the air, until the windows crashed again. Sami snapped around and saw that one thousand birds were now flying through the air, and among them was Bakura, decked in an army outfit. How he managed to don one so quickly was beyond anyone's logic, but no one dared to react to it. For, as soon as Bakura landed, all hell broke lose once again.

"_DIE, YOU HORRIBLE BEASTS!_" Bakura roared, and threw a grenade. Everyone screamed, and the grenade landed near Yami. The ticking was loud, and only created more panic, until Sami's eyes turned a deep blue. She opened her mouth, uttering a few words that no one recognized or could ever remember, and slowly, the grenade stopped ticking. Silence took over again, and Sami took her seat, her eyes slowly losing their glow as her magic receded back into her. Slowly, when they realized the grenade was neutralized, everyone settled down, and Ryou's eyes fell on Sami.

"Sami, what did you…"

"I froze it in place," she replied, and then turned to Bakura, "Go out and wait in the car." Bakura shivered at the sheer anger on Sami's face, and knew better than to argue. He left immediately, without saying a word. Everyone watched in silence for just a moment, and then Joey looked around and noticed that Kaiba and Tea were also missing. He alerted Sami to this, and Rex examined the seats. There was nothing to point them to where the two could've gone.

"I'll go look around the house. No one move," Rex said, and walked out of the dining room. Everyone remained silent, wondering just where the two had disappeared to. Ryou looked questioningly at Sami, but she had no idea what had happened, either. Within a few minutes, Rex came back. No one else came with him, and that made Ryou just a little concerned. Had Bakura really caused their disappearance? Or had they actually fled the scene?

"Did you find them?" Duke asked, and Rex shook his head, resuming his seat.

"No. They're definitely gone," Rex replied. Sami blinked, wondering why Kaiba would leave when both he and Tea walked through an open door. Joey handed him something, and then sat back down. Kaiba cleared his throat and looked at everyone, who were staring back expectantly. He swallowed hard. Obviously, the climax of the night was about to begin. A few people even shifted their seats a little closer, anxious to hear the reason they had all been called to the party.

"I know you all are wondering why the hell I'd call you here," Kaiba began, "Heavens knows I'm wondering that myself. But today is a very important day in my life, and I feel that someone should know about it, so here you all are." Malik snorted at the statement, but Katt nudged him and he fell silent as Kaiba continued on.

"I know that you all have endured a lot of pain tonight, no thanks to that moron, Bakura. But they say pain is the basis of love, right?" Kaiba asked, and Tea nodded as he continued, "They also say that through love, you develop understanding and patience, right?" Sami raised a suspicious eyebrow. This sounded like it could go on for some time, and while she understood nervousness, she wasn't accustomed to outright stalling.

"Kaiba, what are you talking about?" she asked, and Kaiba turned to her, then turned back to the crowd. The look on his face was mortification. Whatever this was, he was scared nearly shitless.

"There's no way to put this… Tea and I are getting married, and through a sheer respect for her wishes, I'm inviting you all to the wedding," Kaiba finally stated, and the room once again fell silent as everyone stared up at the two. Tea was happier than even Yugi remembered seeing. Kaiba was relieved, but grim.

"You two are seriously getting hitched?" Ishtar asked, and with a nod, and a sharp glare from Kaiba, he added, "Wow. I never thought I'd see the day."

"When is the wedding?" Miho asked cheerfully. Kaiba bit his lip, but Joey answered that question for him. It was clear that somehow, Kaiba had left Joey in charge of most of the planning. That smelled of trouble.

"In June! And I rented out the best pavilion I could, too!" Joey exclaimed proudly. Malik dropped the roll he'd been eating, too shocked to fully process what he had heard, and Sami's dog, who'd been lying on the floor since they had arrived, gobbled it up, and then barked loudly. Aside from that, nothing else was said for several moments. No one knew just _what_ to say; they had never seen Kaiba and Tea coming.

"Someone say something," Yugi mumbled. Yami, who barely woke up, sat up from the floor, and he looked incredibly dizzy. He also reeked of wine, mainly because so many people had attacked him at the food fight, and because he had slipped into so many puddles of the intoxicating liquid.

"I'd like to… give them… my blessing," Yami said very sluggishly, and pushed Yugi away when Yugi tried to help him. Then he opened his mouth, and instead of words, a long, loud belch issued from him, and then he slid on a puddle of wine and crashed ungracefully onto the floor. Everyone's eyes fell on the old spirit, and Yugi looked completely mortified. He picked Yami up and stood him up.

"I'm so sorry about him. I think he's had too much wine," Yugi said quickly, "He's never like this, but…"

"Get that disgusting idiot out of my house," Kaiba ordered, and immediately, Yugi ran outside, Yami dragging behind limply. Then with a shove, Yami fell into the backseat, and Yugi climbed into the front. All anyone inside heard were screeching tires, and then the sound of a mailbox flying off of its hinges as Yugi drove off. After that, Kaiba decided it might be best to break the party up, so slowly, he began to send everyone home. And that basically entailed kicking them out then and there. Ryou and Sami waited outside for Katt, who was saying goodbye to Malik for the night.

"I can't believe Yami got himself so tanked," Sami commented, and Ryou nodded as Tristan and Miho passed them, talking about something they couldn't hear.

"I can't believe that food fight started," Ryou added, "And in Kaiba's house! Do you think he's mad?" Sami huffed, and then smiled oddly, nodding. That was an easy question to answer. Mainly because so many things infuriated the man. It was just hard to tell which made it worse.

"If he is, most of it is probably directed at Bakura. After all, the fight was technically his fault," Sami replied. She crossed her arms, noticing something glimmering on the ground. She tugged Ryou and asked, "Did you drop that?" Ryou looked at it, bent down, and picked it up. It was a crystal, decent in size, and it had a golden glow to it. It looked like it may have come from a ring.

"No, I didn't," he replied, turning it over, "Sami! Look!" Sami leaned in, and saw what shocked Ryou. The Millennium insignia was on it, and it was glowing. She narrowed her eyes and backed away. She hadn't had too much experience with a Millennium Item, but she knew trouble when she felt it. And _that_ spelled thousands of different kinds of trouble.

"One of those items?" she asked, and Ryou looked at it in terror.

"It can't be! There's only seven, and none of them look like this," he replied frantically, "Sami, this isn't good." Sami obviously agreed, and Ryou pocketed it, making a note to ask Bakura about it as soon as they were home; he couldn't just leave it there for someone else. As soon as Katt climbed into the car, Ryou drove off, often exchanging a nervous glance with Sami whenever they stopped at a red light. The ride had been quick, as Ryou had purposely tried to avoid any red lights. He wanted to get Bakura to examine what they had found as soon as he could. He could feel his pulse quicken just thinking on it. Only when they pulled into the driveway did he settle down, and as they walked in, he called for Bakura and Katt to follow them into the dining room, which they did.

"Ryou, what's wrong?" Bakura asked, noticing at once that Ryou had become silent and almost terrified of something. Ryou brought out the crystal, showing the insignia to Bakura. Bakura's eyes widened and he grabbed it, looking at it with a mixture of fear and worry. His ring reacted, but after a moment, fell silent. Whatever it was, the ring wasn't able to keep a straight trace on it. Which signified two things; either it was much more powerful than he, or it was made from another world and was meant to _look_ like an item. He didn't know which scared him more at that point. He muttered something to himself, holding the crystal up in the light. He didn't even notice the glances he was receiving as a result to his inward rant.

"What is it?" Katt asked, when several minutes passed and Bakura hadn't spoken yet. Bakura continued to mutter to himself, and then finally turned to Sami and Ryou. He highly doubted either would possibly know what they happened to stumble upon. For that matter, he doubted they even realized what it might've been. This wasn't good.

"Where did you both find this?" he asked quickly to both of them. Sami was the first to answer.

"It was outside of Kaiba's house," she answered, and quietly asked, "Bakura… is it another one of those items? Like Ryou's?" Bakura looked at the crystal again. In the light, it seemed almost transparent, as though it were going to disappear from his very eyes. If he knew one thing, it was that the other items _couldn't_ do that. Whatever this was, it was entirely different. He took a deep breath and turned back to her.

"This cannot possibly be another item," he told her, "It's either a fake or a ruse. Don't trust it."

"But… who'd use the items as a trick?" Katt whispered, "What for?" Bakura wished he could answer her, but he was at a loss for words as well. There was no plausible reason. Clearly, this did _something_, but it was no Millennium item. Someone would have sensed it. Shadi would've warned them. The fact that Ryou happened to find it before anyone else scared Bakura. There was a good chance he was the intended victim.

"This is a dangerous sign," the thief growled, "First of all, we don't know what this piece of shit will do. Until then, we can't throw it out. Second, Ryou, I'm worried that _you_ picked it up. Third, Sami, what worries me most is that Yami and Yugi walked past it, while you didn't. You actually saw it." Sami nodded in silent confirmation. Bakura didn't question; he was completely suspicious, and he didn't need questions to know that something was off. Katt looked at the crystal nervously now.

"How was that possible?" she whispered. Bakura's eyes narrowed as he eyed the dangling crystal. His voice had grown slow, as though he were debating his answer as he spoke it.

"Either they were too occupied to see it, or someone left it _after_ they drove off," he finally answered, "I'm not sure which one is worse, personally. For now, though, someone needs to keep an eye on it. We can't have it go missing in case it's something really bad. If it affects someone with even lower understanding, well… that's a recipe for the end of the earth, eh?" Sami nodded, but no one spoke. No one could decide who should keep the crystal. Ryou was ruled out, though. He had the weakest willpower of them all. Katt cleared herself out as well. If she got into trouble, Malik wouldn't be able to help her. Which left Bakura and Sami. The two stared at each other silently, as though a battle were waging in their heads. Finally, Sami's expression turned grim.

"I'll do it," she declared, and Bakura gave her the crystal, "But we're checking this out. Bakura, tomorrow, call Yami and bring him here." Bakura didn't particularly like that Sami was telling him this. He was already going to do that. He snorted.

"Yeah, yeah. I've already told Ishtar what happened in my mind," he stated, and somberly added, "Sami… I have confidence in you, but that thing worries me. If you get sick, tell me, okay?" Sami nodded, looking down at the crystal for just a moment before a small grin crept on her face.

"Got it," she replied. Bakura patted her shoulder and walked up the stairs silently. Something about how stiff he'd become alerted Ryou. His eyes locked on Sami's wrist, and for a brief moment, a flash of the worst kind of evil ran through his mind; dark and empty, but with two leering, red eyes. His pupils thinned. If he'd been holding something, he'd have dropped it now. That was a terrifying sight, even if he couldn't comprehend it. Sami had already begun up the stairs with Katt by the time he snapped himself out of it and grabbed her arm.

"Sami, are you sure you should do this!?" he cried suddenly, with enough terror to make Sami stop in her tracks. She looked down at Ryou curiously, and then nodded, letting out a deep breath. She must've been having the same thought as he was.

"No. But that's never stopped me," she told him grimly, "I'm going to sleep. Goodnight." Ryou nodded, and let Sami and Katt be. He looked down the stairs again, trembling. It was just one thought. Just one tiny thought. But it didn't leave his mind. It was like an itch he couldn't scratch, like a vision just at the edge of his consciousness. He couldn't grasp it, but he knew it was right there. He frowned.

"This doesn't feel good at all," he said to himself, slowly heading up the stairs, "Damn it, Sami… if I get this sorted out, I hope you'll listen to me." He had his theories on the crystal, ragtag as they seemed. A lot of his thought made no sense, but that was what thinking was for. And, Ryou had a feeling he'd be doing a lot of that for most of the night. He wouldn't get much sleep, either.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

And so, Kaiba's party went much worse than anyone wanted or expected, but at least he made his announcement! But has it shocked everyone to the very core? Why did he seem so grim, despite his happy moment? And, what of the crystal hanging around Sami's wrist? What theory does Ryou have on it? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!


	4. One Reason that New Items are a bad Idea

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Takahashi said the idea for the Millennium Crystal was funny, but he didn't like that it almost always kills its bearer.

Sleep was one of the few things that calmed Ryou down whenever he faced something he didn't like. Sleep was always there to catch him when he needed a blanket. It wasn't surprising when he didn't get any sleep the previous night, when the clock in his room finally struck seven in the morning. He dressed quickly, having had his thought turn in his head over and over, and now he wanted desperately to tell someone. But as he ran out into the hall, he realized something bad had happened during the night. Bakura was outside of Sami's door, and Katt was inside, trying to speak to her. He heard retching; Sami had gotten sick. But from what? He tried to ask, but no one answered. Bakura just ushered him out of the house, promising to care for her until Ryou returned. That's when the horrible thought from before picked up again, stronger now. As he started down the road, Ryou's fists clenched. Aside from being shoved out of his house, he knew Sami had gotten ill over _something_. And he blamed it on the crystal she wore. Magic _again_. Ryou's eyes narrowed as he stormed onto the campus, his mind ranting and raving about it.

"I knew I should've chucked that crystal out the window… I just knew it," Ryou scolded himself, "And now…"

"Ryou!" Shimbou's voice rang, snapping Ryou out of his self-scolding, "Hey, buddy! We got the same class this morning!" Ryou looked up to see the black-haired boy waving frantically and jogging over, eyes shining. He smiled, but Shimbou realized at once that Ryou was distracted by something. Ryou was never good at hiding his own emotion, and even Shimbou could see that he was furious with _something_. Unfortunately, Ryou didn't think Shimbou was a good confidant.

"Good morning, Shimbou," he said absently, and as they walked down the path toward the classrooms, Shimbou studied his expression carefully. He didn't look furious; he looked terrified. And pale. And ready to collapse on the spot. And unfortunately, Shimbou wasn't too skilled in dealing with crisis situations, in case Ryou really did pass out.

"What's wrong? You look sick, dude," the young man observed. Ryou sighed, and nodded. He looked over at the boy, wondering if he had any advice. Then, Ryou silently chuckled. He highly doubted Shimbou would know what to do with anything that involved any form of magic, but he decided there was no harm in sharing his plight. For all he knew, Shimbou _could_ help him.

"Sami's sick, and I'm not sure what's wrong," he replied, deciding again to just give the half-truth, "She was fine last night, but all of the sudden, she was throwing up this morning… and that nightmare… I bet it came back." Shimbou blinked. He didn't know what kind of nightmare Sami had, but she definitely sounded sick. No wonder Ryou was scared. Nightmares were always a bad sign. Sadly, though, Shimbou had no experience dealing with them. He shrugged.

"Maybe she has the stomach flu," he suggested, and perked up, "Yeah! You could get her some medicine after class! I'll even go with you! I know the best places to get remedies and stuff. My brother's always getting sick." Ryou laughed, glad to see that Shimbou was still cheerful even after his grim explanation, and agreed to buy Sami what she needed after class. Or, at least, what he thought could actually help her. There wasn't much to cure magical illness, but settling her stomach was a different matter. So long as her stomach was actually bothering her.

"Why's your brother always sick?" Ryou asked, deciding not to linger too long on his problem in case Shimbou wizened up. Shimbou had no clue of it. He grinned as they entered a long hallway that was filling with students.

"I have no idea. He might have some sort of immunity problem. He used to eat some really funky shit when he was in college, so who knows?" Shimbou replied, and as they walked into their classroom, he grinned, "Anyway, I heard we have a new teacher today. Isn't that awesome?"

"Yes," Ryou replied, though in actuality, he didn't really care. He had never met his history teacher, and so whatever confidence Shimbou had couldn't actually be shared. Grabbing a chair next to Shimbou's, he sat down and listened as people murmured or whispered excitedly about their new teacher; some said it was a model of some sort, and others claimed it was a duelist. Ryou didn't know who to believe. Within minutes, the substitute walked in, and Ryou was shocked to see that it was Mai Valentine. So everyone's rumors _were_ true.

"Hello, class!" she sang cheerfully, scribbling her name on the chalkboard, "My name is Ms. Valentine, and I'll be your teacher for the rest of the semester! Now then, does anyone have any questions before we begin?" Ryou stared in disbelief, not understanding how Mai could've gotten a teaching job. But he ignored it, trying to focus instead on finishing the lesson as quickly as he could; with Mai as the teacher, the class probably wouldn't be too complicated. She didn't strike Ryou as being historically informed. When no one answered her, Mai said, "Wonderful! Now, we're going to discuss a topic that I've been interested in for years! Who knows what fascism is?" Ryou blinked, looking up from his desk. No one raised their hands, and Mai didn't offer to give an explanation herself. Biting his lip, he summoned his courage.

"Do you know what fascism is, Mai?" Ryou asked, and everyone looked at him, shocked that he showed such little respect for their teacher. Mai glared at him and tapped her foot impatiently.

"I believe you mean 'Ms. Valentine,' am I right, Ryou?" she asked sternly. Ryou blinked. He hadn't actually seen that coming. He blushed slightly.

"Mai, I know…"

"It's Ms. Valentine. Do not make me repeat myself!" she exclaimed sternly. But today, Ryou decided to try his hand at rebellion.

"But Mai…"

"_MS. VALENTINE!_" Rebellion wasn't working well, Ryou learned. He finally lost it. This was wasting more time than was necessary.

"FINE! Do you know what it is, _Ms._ _Valentine_!?" Ryou asked through gritted teeth. There was only one person he'd ever really wanted to hit, and right then, Mai might've actually replaced the man. It didn't help that she flashed a grin a mile wide, just like any idiot with a fake teaching degree.

"Why, yes, Ryou, I do," she replied calmly, to which Ryou didn't believe in the least, "It's when the fashion industry takes over the world! Now, if we look at this chart…" Ryou drowned out her rambling as he watched her roll down a chart that depicted a pair of shoes, a purse, a bottle of perfume, a dress, and jewelry orbiting around the earth. He couldn't believe she was his teacher, and now he wondered if Bakura saw this coming; the spirit did ditch class today. And that seemed like the smart thing to do. Ryou just flopped his head down. This was going to be an incredibly long lesson. Shimbou just patted his back comfortingly. He wouldn't be suffering this lecture alone.

Nearly two hours later, after Mai reluctantly agreed to dismiss the class, Ryou and Shimbou were running down the halls to find a pay phone. Another teacher had come into the class, telling Mai that Ryou had a desperate phone call, and that scared Ryou. His thoughts immediately went to Sami, but Mai wouldn't let him take the call, saying that it was 'rude to interrupt her very important lesson.' Never mind the fact that her lesson wasn't teaching him a damn thing. Finally, they found a phone booth, and Ryou ran into it, dialing as fast as he could. His mind raced as he listened almost impatiently as the phone rang. He wished to all hell that it would just speed up, but eventually, someone picked it up.

"…hello?" came Sami's voice. It sounded much weaker than Ryou was comfortable with, and he knew she had just gotten sick again from the wheezing. He took a deep breath. He didn't want her talking, but he _had_ to answer her.

"Sami? Dear, how are you?" Ryou asked quickly, "Where is Bakura?" He heard shuffling, and then another cough before Sami answered.

"I'm… sick, Ryou," she replied as best as she could, "Bakura went… to get Yami… damn it, I'm going to throw up again." Surely enough, Ryou heard her retching, and winced. She was in pain, and there was nothing he could do. He tried to shut out the tears threatening to stain his face. Right then, tears wouldn't help anyone.

"Sami, go rest and don't do anything until Bakura or I return, all right?" Ryou said sternly, but he had no reply, "Sami?" All he heard was the phone hanging up, and slowly, he walked out. His skin paled incredibly, and he himself wanted to get sick. Shimbou looked at him with concern, not knowing what happened, but guessing instantly that it was nothing good. When Ryou staggered over, Shimbou nearly bent over to help him stay up. If he collapsed, no one would be able to help Sami. Shimbou doubted highly that he could.

"Is everything okay?" he asked. Ryou shook his head, and his expression went grim. That scared Shimbou. He wasn't used to complete and utter panic on anyone else's part except for his own mother. He had a feeling he'd get his first lesson on caring for the sick.

"Sami's sick… my god, she's even worse than this morning," Ryou whispered, and Shimbou's expression turned to one of complete terror, "I have to get home, but I'm scheduled for a double shift, and I can't call in." What a day for _that_ to happen, Shimbou decided. They walked toward the end of the hall silently. Ryou was too out of it to speak, and Shimbou had no idea how to even help him. Finally, he snapped his fingers.

"Want me to go take care of her?" he offered, but once again, Ryou shook his head as they headed out of the double doors and into the campus yard. The wind was brisk, and the clouds had come in thickly, matching just how Ryou was beginning to feel on the inside. He didn't like the comparison one bit.

"She won't let you in. She doesn't know you," Ryou said sadly, shaking, "Shimbou, can you help me with work? I have to help her. She's really sick…" Shimbou bit his lip, and nodded, leading Ryou out of the school and down the road into the city square. Everything seemed so silent as they walked through the empty streets, though Ryou knew it was just his panic drowning out normal city life. But even the wind seemed to subside as they turned a corner. It was like the city was dying along with Sami.

"Yeah. I'll help you," Shimbou finally agreed, "I'll talk to your boss. This sounds pretty serious." Ryou nodded, and together, they walked down the cold, lonely road toward Mecca Doomers. As soon as they arrived, Ryou got into his uniform, and Shimbou went back to find Ryou's boss, who was writing something down on a clip board. After a quick talk, both Shimbou and the boss walked out, and the boss pulled Ryou aside.

"I'll take over from here," he said, and Ryou blinked, not sure of what was going on, "Your friend told me your wife's terribly ill. If you really need to get home, then you need to go." Ryou looked up at his boss.

"You're letting me leave?" he asked, and the boss nodded, smiling.

"If I know anything, it's that a man is only as strong as his girl. Go take care of yours," the boss said, and Ryou nodded. Nanisaka, who'd been listening, handed him her cell phone as she chewed on a lollipop. He looked at it, and then at her, and she rolled her eyes as though he were some retarded idiot-child and she had to make everything as simple as pressing a tiny button.

"Don't you want to call her and make sure she's still all right?" Nanisaka demanded, and Ryou blushed crimson. Then he dialed home. It rung… and rung… and kept ringing. Ryou was getting very worried, and when the line cut, he dropped the phone, eyes widened. Sami didn't even try to pick up. His face paled even more, and he started to resemble a ghost. Shakily, he turned to Shimbou.

"She didn't even pick up," Ryou whispered, and Shimbou patted his back as Nanisaka took her cell phone. It didn't take science for Shimbou to know that that was probably the worst thing to happen right then. He looked around, trying to think of something that'd lessen the panic Ryou was feeling. In the end, he found there was nothing to be done, save for the obvious.

"Come on, let's go over to your place," he assured, "Maybe she's just asleep." Ryou nodded, but he knew she wasn't asleep at all; Shimbou was just trying to be optimistic. Something was wrong, though, and as they ran out, the boss looked after them with worry until they vanished around the corner. Though it was a slow battle between being sunny and cloudy, the air felt thick and heavy to Ryou, and all he could focus on was seeing if Sami was all right. He couldn't feel her magic anywhere. That terrified him, for that usually meant she was in trouble. Bakura's words of warning ran through his head at that moment. '_If it affects someone with even lower understanding_.' Sami didn't exactly understand the Millennium Items.

"So what's the plan?" Shimbou asked as they rushed down the street and turned a sharp corner onto the quiet road Ryou lived on. Ryou thought about it. Storming into the house and getting Sami out seemed the best route to take. Then again, so was destroying the crystal she wore, and Bakura made it clear they couldn't do that. Quickly, he rushed up onto his porch and threw the door open, with Shimbou close behind. The house was freezing, and Ryou knew he hadn't turned the heat off at all. Which meant this was magical. Though silence greeted him, Ryou wished he heard anything but that. Silence, like chill, was another precursor to danger.

"Call her sister," Ryou directed, and Shimbou ran into the kitchen, "Katt will know what to do. Hopefully." As he heard Shimbou on the phone, explaining frantically what was happening, Ryou dashed up the stairs and into his room, praying that Sami was all right. When he entered, he saw her on the floor, in a black heap. He ran to her side, touching her forehead. She was covered in a cold sweat.

"Sami, wake up," he called gently, picking her up and shaking her slowly, "Come on, you need to get up!" Ryou kept trying, but nothing would wake Sami. Tears filled his eyes, and finally, he decided to just put her on the bed and wrap her up in blankets. He heard the front door burst open again, and soon, he heard footsteps storming up the stairs. As he looked up, he saw Bakura, Yami, Ishtar, and Katt. He doubted anyone could've picked a better team to deal with this. Katt pulled through.

"Is she alive!?" Bakura demanded, "Your friend sounded terrified, Ryou. What happened!?" Ryou looked at Sami. Her skin was too white for his comfort, and too thin. She looked on the verge of death.

"I don't know," Ryou whispered, looking away, "I called her this morning. She… she said you left. Damn it, I should've just come back here." Bakura sighed and placed a hand on Ryou's shoulder as the tears fell from Ryou's eyes. He felt the boy shake under his grasp.

"Blaming yourself won't help her," Bakura said sternly, "We both made huge mistakes today. But right now, we need to get her back. How long has she been like this?" Ryou blinked, and realized he didn't have an answer. But it couldn't have possibly been long. He looked up, and forced his tears to stop.

"I… I just came home," Ryou replied shakily, "I called her around 11 in the morning. She… she was weak, but she was all right." Bakura looked at the clock on the dresser. It was just after one. He smiled gently, though he knew this still wasn't a good situation.

"Good news is, she hasn't been out that long," Bakura stated, and Ryou finally looked at him, "We can get her back, but the bad news is… I'm pretty sure that crystal caused this. Ryou, is it still on her wrist?" Ryou bent down and took Sami's hand. The crystal was glowing dully, but it was still there. It felt warm, too. Which meant it was siphoning her energy. It made Ryou sick to think about.

"I need to take it off," he said, but as he went to rip it off of Sami's wrist, Bakura smacked his hand away.

"Ryou, no!" Bakura snapped, and Yami pulled Ryou away as he screamed, "Ryou, I know you're upset, but you can't take it off! If you do, she might die. The only reason she's alive is because the crystal's still swimming in her energy. If that crystal's removed, so is her life force." Ryou stopped struggling, and in the mirror, Bakura saw how red his face had become from his anger. He breathed heavily, unable to fill his lungs with air.

"Are you telling me to just keep that life-draining _curse_ on her!?" Ryou exclaimed, and Bakura looked down, nodding, "Bakura, I can't! She's… I love her! I can't let that thing keep hurting her!"

"But if you rip it off like that, you'll kill her," Ishtar retorted. Ryou glared angrily at all three spirits, hating them each for doing absolutely nothing about the crystal. Then he looked at Sami. Hatred wouldn't help her, and he knew deep down all three of them were right. He would have killed her. He swallowed hard. This was too much to deal with. Why was magic coming back to kick his ass now? What did he do to deserve it? He steeled himself. This was something he knew was coming. Sami had warned him of that long ago.

"What is that thing?" he asked grimly, tensing himself so he didn't break down, "Is it another item or is it a trap of some sort? Tell me." Bakura bit his lip, and both Yami and Ishtar seemed hesitant to answer. But eventually, Yami did so.

"It… _looks_ like one," Yami replied calmly, "But it's not. We still have… no idea what it is, but until then, we're treating it like a regular item." That was a rather poor excuse to Ryou. His eyes hardened. What good was pretending that it was harmless? Sami could be dead soon, and then what? Would they bury her like normal, write it off as a heart attack or something? It wasn't enough for him. It did her no justice, and the Espers would definitely figure out the truth, anyway. He shook his head.

"Why is it draining her life away?" he demanded coldly, refusing to look at anyone in particular. He knew that if he did look, he'd kill whoever he was looking at. And neither Katt nor Shimbou deserved his divine fury. Neither did the spirits, but they were the closest ones to killing Sami themselves.

"We're treating it as an 'unstable item," Yami replied gently, picking up Sami's hand, "When our items were first created, they needed to be infused with energy before they had any magic in them. Whatever this is, it's acting the same way." Ryou shut his eyes. The situation seemed too hopeless now. If they didn't remove the crystal, it'd drain Sami's life away slowly, but painfully. And if he ripped it off, she would die anyway. It was a matter of her going through a slow death or a quick one, and he couldn't bring himself to decide that for her.

"Can we get it off of her?" Katt asked, and Ryou looked at her. She sounded hopeful, despite seeing her sister in such a state. Yami sighed, considering the question. It was possible, but he didn't know how to do it. Or if they could without killing her. Or if they could even just do it period.

"Yes. But, we'll need Shadi to do it _safely_," the old spirit replied sadly, looking down at Sami, who continued to grow paler and weaker with every second. He began to feel it was a mistake letting _anyone_ take the crystal. Sami had overwhelming will, and little time left; he could only imagine how someone weaker would last.

"I'll give him a call," Ishtar declared, and walked out of the room. Yami watched him until he disappeared down the stairs, and then looked at Ryou. His face was flushed with a mixture of anger and grief, and he gripped Sami's hand as though in doing so, he could prevent her from dying. Yami felt terrible for not having done anything, seeing Ryou so upset. And as he saw Bakura's expression soften, Yami knew the old thief was feeling just as guilty.

"Ryou, Yami and I will go through all of the magical tomes we have to find a spell to bring Sami back," Bakura said, and Ryou looked up at him in shock, "But it'll take some time. Do you want us to do this? It means leaving you and Katt to care for her." Ryou blinked, and considered the choice carefully. If they found anything at all, Sami would be safe. Anything would calm Ryou down, but how long did Sami have? He knew it wasn't much time. He closed his eyes, trying to find something to speak through to Sami's mind, but even her mind was closed. He wasn't surprised. In that stated, it might worry him more if it were opened.

"Yes," he finally whispered, grasping Sami's hand just a little more, "Yes, Bakura. Please, find something. Anything. Just… I can't let her die. Not like this." Bakura smiled, remembering what Ryou had said just two nights before. He patted Ryou on the head.

"I understand," Bakura said compassionately, and then turned to Yami, his voice growing grim, "We need to get moving then. We'll need to split up. I'll search my ring, and you your puzzle. Anything we find, we need to share, all right?" Yami nodded, and the two vanished from sight, each heading back into their items. Ryou shook, having gotten used to Bakura having his own body, but he didn't object. Silence pursued for a few minutes until Shimbou tapped Ryou's shoulder. Curious, Ryou looked up at him.

"Is there anything we can do?" Shimbou asked. Ryou hesitated, thinking on it. His first reaction was to say no. Then he looked at Sami. There was hope. If they cared for her, maybe she'd have more time. He nodded, and pointed to the bathroom with his chin.

"Yes. Shimbou, I want you and Katt to get some warm water and a few cloths," Ryou answered gently, "We have to keep Sami as warm as possible right now." Shimbou nodded, and he left the room, with Katt following behind. Ryou looked at the empty room, save for himself and Sami. He never felt so empty; it felt like he was losing part of himself through all of this. He looked down at her. Two years. Two years didn't seem like long, but those two years brought them both a friendship that Ryou was hard-pressed to just give up. He patted her hand.

"It'll be okay, Sami," Ryou whispered, "We'll figure out what's going on. Try to hang in there." He looked down at Sami's face, letting another tear fall. She had winced in pain, but she didn't stir after that. Gently, Ryou brushed her hair away from her face, shivering at how cold her skin had gotten. She winced again, and then he saw a green eye open up at him. Her eyes looked so pale.

"Ryou… please," she coughed, unable to get the rest of her sentence out, "Tell me… where everyone is…" Ryou's fists clenched. She was alive, but she was struggling. And he didn't want to answer her. She had to save her strength. But she demanded his answer, and he knew he'd have to give it eventually. He bit his lip.

"Ishtar's downstairs, talking to Shadi," he said quickly, "Katt and my friend, Shimbou, are getting water for you. Bakura and Yami are looking for tomes and taking too long to do it. And everyone else can go to hell until you get better." Sami managed a weak chuckle at that point. Weak, weak, weak. All she could convey was weakness. It pained Ryou to see, and he wished she'd go back to sleep. But she didn't.

"It's nice to know that you want them all dead," she said, her voice soft in the dim room, "Ryou… does anyone know anything?" Ryou shook his head quickly. If he answered quickly enough, maybe that was enough for her.

"No," he replied, "Nothing except that it's _not_ a Millennium item. And thank god for that, too."

"Yes… thank Bahamut," Sami repeated slowly, "…Ryou…" Ryou looked down at her, noticing that her voice wasn't getting stronger. It was dipping again. She was getting too tired, "I need… to sleep…" Ryou nodded, putting a warm hand on her cold forehead. It felt clammy and uncomfortable. He wanted to wince, but he didn't dare to. She closed her eyes slowly, and slowly again, her breathing calmed itself. For now, that was good. Ryou took a deep breath. He loved Sami; he didn't mind taking care of her. But as he looked around the silent room, he couldn't help but feel that something was amiss. That something, however small, had been moved without their knowing. That something was in the room _with_ them. But it wasn't hostile. It just _was_.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

And so, Ryou's life once again becomes a mass of turmoil as Sami slowly falls into death's unloving hands. What is causing the crystal to take her life every second? Why did she happen to find it, and how did it get to Kaiba's? Can Bakura and Yami find a cure? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!


	5. A Reluctant Guardian

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Takahashi said an eighth item would make for an awesome plot twist, but he doesn't want to screw up his plot for it. How stuffy.

Ishtar had managed to get hold of Shadi, but the problems of getting him to Ryou's house outweighed his usefulness. He had to be picked up from the airport, and that alone was enough of a problem to warrant forgetting him. As Ishtar looked out the window, juggling the phone on the side, he saw that clouds were already starting to gather, and he swore he heard the distant crash of a lightning bolt. Likewise, Ishizu had said they were having problems as well. This whole day was getting screwed up in Ishtar's mind, and he had to make a decision. It was tough. If they went to get Shadi, Sami could die before they reached her again. But if they ignored it, Sami _would_ die. And Ishtar wasn't sure he could make that crucial a decision for her. He hung up, and trudged up the stairs. Right then, his problem was telling Ryou the bad news. He wasn't quite sure Ryou would kill, but the boy's fury ran deep. Especially if Sami was involved. And she was. The spirit sighed. Nothing could ever be easy for them.

"Should we go and pick him up?" He asked, when he presented the problem to Ryou. He could see the boy was getting frustrated, and personally, the spirit didn't blame him. Ryou looked down at Sami. She was sleeping again. But how long would she sleep there? Ryou found he was shaking with terror at the situation. Right then, Sami wasn't in mortal danger. She had a few hours left. But those few hours were running like water: too clear and too thin.

"I don't know," Ryou sighed, shaking his head. He needed some advice. Sami's life really was at stake. Even if she was a Chesier, no one could survive a _curse_ for very long. Silently, Ryou closed his eyes and asked Bakura for help. He felt the spirit trying to think. Obviously, this wasn't any easier on the old thief.

'…_I would get him,_' Bakura finally said, as he tossed a book about his soul room, '_Sami will be all right. Katt or Shimbou can take care of her, can't they?_' Ryou knew they could, but he also knew that they wouldn't be comfortable by themselves. But he had to ask them anyway. In the end, Shimbou was the one who offered to stay. Katt, Ishtar, and Ryou ran down the stairs, and put the Millennium Ring and Puzzle on the ground, and Yami and Bakura reappeared. Neither looked very happy, either. Ryou guessed why, but Katt wasn't nearly as perceptive. Worry had overridden her senses.

"Well?" she asked, as they walked out of the door and toward the car. Ryou opened the door and climbed into the driver's seat as Bakura slipped into the back with Ishtar. Yami sighed and shook his head, telling her they had found nothing.

"Nothing we know of has ever physically drained a person of their life force," Yami informed her, his voice tense, "This is evil. Your sister's in danger. We have to find a cure quickly or she _will_ die." That was enough for Ryou. When he climbed in next to Bakura, Yami shut the door and Ryou drove off as quickly as he could for the airport. His mind raced. Yami was _sure_ Sami wouldn't be making it. And, as they got closer to the airport, Ryou began to get a terribly ill feeling, one that pervaded all of his senses. As if _he_ were any expert with magic, he began to get the feeling that they were indeed dealing with something very evil. But what for?

"Damn it, who the hell would want her dead?" Katt asked, as Ryou pulled into a parking lot, "We killed Katsaiga! Do you think it's a new Mystic?" Yami looked down. He didn't have an answer, nor did he want to make an assumption. Sami had said a long time ago that they might be attacked again. If there _was_ a Mystic, she would definitely be one of the first targets.

Ryou burst through the front doors of the airport, rushing through the throng of people. He had to find Shadi and Ishizu. He hadn't heard what Yami had answered, if he had at all, but he didn't need to. Sami was dying, and what was killing her had been carefully planted. Either for her or for Ryou, the boy just didn't know, but it _had_ been left for one of them, if not both. And if anyone knew about this, it was Shadi. And thankfully, he was in the middle of the building, trying to read a map. Ryou had to skid to a stop to avoid slamming into the man, and as soon as Ishizu saw him, she walked over briskly. She looked just as worried as Ryou felt.

"What is going on? My brother calls me and tells me you may have found a new item!" Ishizu exclaimed worriedly, "Tell me of it, and tell me why I cannot see such a circumstance! Tell me immediately!" Ryou didn't like to hear how terrified Ishizu was becoming, but she had every right to worry. Unfortunately, he lost his tongue when he heard Yami said 'Sami will die.' So, instead, Bakura answered when he finally caught up to Ryou.

"Probably because it_ isn't_ a Millennium item," Bakura said grimly, joining Ryou, "We're pretty sure it's a trap. In fact, we're about seventy-five percent sure." Ishizu looked taken aback by the statement, and looked over at Shadi. He seemed equally as perplexed by it. A trap that looked like a Millennium item. If it truly was meant for Ryou, it was a clever ruse indeed. Unfortunately, Ryou wasn't stupid enough to put it on. Sami, unfortunately, was.

"How bad is it?" Shadi asked, "Ishtar said that it should've stopped absorbing power when your friend passed out."

"We can't determine when it'll lose its ability, or if ever," Yami answered sternly, "All we know is that it's hurting her and we can't take it off without killing her." Shadi nodded, but a rumbling noise disrupted their discussion. Shadi wanted to just wave it off, but Yami looked over, and Ryou soon joined him. Before enforcements could stop him, Malik came crashing through the front doors on his motorcycle, spraying glass all over the floor. He screeched to a loud, long halt, and took off his helmet, shaking his hair out. Sweat fell onto the floor.

"Malik, what's wrong?" Katt asked, taking his helmet when she reached him. He looked absolutely terrified, and his skin was pale. He jumped off his bike and pointed to the window, his hand shaking as he did so. Ryou didn't want to know what could've scared him so shitless.

"I think we have a bigger problem than just a measly trap," Malik replied slowly, pointing toward the entrance, "Look outside." Curious, Katt went over to one of the windows, and shrieked. Ryou joined her, and nearly screamed himself. Everything outside was covered in a thin layer of snow. And despite the fact that it was currently _September_, it was still snowing out, and getting thicker by the second. Planes were frosted over, and cars were beginning to slow even as they were driven down the road. Ryou thought that Malik even being able to get there was a bit of a miracle. But the snow wasn't the only problem. The sky was darkening, too. Thick clouds were hanging over the entire city, and as Ryou looked, the feeling of dread reappeared. He shivered, wanting to ignore it.

"What the hell did this!?" Bakura snapped, as he watched in disbelief. Ryou slowly looked up, and rubbed his eyes to make sure he saw correctly. There, in the sky, was the Aurora Borealis, shimmering in the darkness. Ryou traced it as far as he could, but couldn't make out where the light was shining from. But he could guess. And he hated his guess. It involved magic, and Ryou was now seeing why Kaiba chose to discount it every chance he could. Magic was looking like the worst thing ever.

"We must find where these lights are coming from," Shadi said calmly, "I sense the presence of evil in that light."

"Me too," Yami stated, "And I can guess where it's coming from." No one needed an answer. Katt continued to stare out the window into the snowy tundra below. It all seemed too unnatural. It _was_ too unnatural. But it was happening, and she knew what was doing it: Sami had finally gone ballistic. She was the only one besides Katt who could muster something this terrible. And Katt hadn't done a damn thing.

"How do we get back to our house?" Katt asked Ryou, who shut his eyes upon Katt's question, which had managed to answer his own. He could only imagine what might've been happening with Sami. Or how Shimbou might've been handling it, if he wasn't dead already.

"Well, the car's out of the question. In this storm, the engine might fail completely," Ishtar commented. Yami looked in his pocket and pulled out his deck. It was no time for games, but suddenly, an idea came to him. If anyone had a duel disk around, they might be able to fly using their monster cards. He suggested that to everyone.

"Fly using our game cards?" Malik asked, and Yami nodded, sending Malik bursting into laughter. Yami said nothing, having expected that reaction. However, Ishizu seemed to like the idea as she pulled something out of her bag and handed it to the pharaoh. It was her own duel disk.

"That might be the best idea we have right now," she said firmly, "We must give it a shot. Where is this trap you found?"

"At my house. Sami's wearing it right now," Ryou said shakily. Ishizu turned to the three spirits, and they each summoned a monster that could fly. Yami was lucky enough to draw his Chimera, which would easily carry four of them at once. Bakura had drawn the Dragon Zombie, which could only take two people. Ishtar, however, drew the Winged Dragon of Ra, which was so terribly mighty that it sent the other monsters back into their cards, shivering. Both Yami and Bakura glared at Ishtar, not liking being trumped by a god card. Ryou would've laughed, except that they had to get move. Ishtar's eyes narrowed as he beheld his fellow spirits.

"_What_!? At least it can carry all of us," Ishtar said defensively, as the Winged Dragon put a claw down to allow passage onto its back. Everyone climbed up, and with a mighty push off of the ground, the dragon took flight. It didn't care for the people below, who watched with a mixture of awe and terror as it flew toward the source of the lights. All it cared about was helping the people on its back. Even if it was just a holograph, just a monster, it knew something was wrong. It was the Winged Dragon of Ra, after all.

---

Shimbou replaced the cold cloth on Sami's head, making sure to soak it in warm water as per Katt's instructions to him. An hour had passed since Ryou left him with her, but no one had called, and with the snowstorm that was forming outside, Shimbou was getting rightfully worried. He couldn't be sure Ryou's driving skills could get him home through this. He looked from the snowy window, to Sami. She hadn't improved much since Ryou left, either. Her skin had become sallower, her complexion utterly ghastly to look at. He placed a hand on her forehead, hoping to wake her up just a little.

"Sami, try to hang on. Ryou's doing the best he can," Shimbou whispered. He had the feeling Sami heard, because her shoulders relaxed just slightly when he stopped talking. Shimbou sighed. Nothing could cure this, nothing that he knew of. His eyes fell on the crystal on her wrist. It was still glowing, and somehow, that glow angered him. His eyes narrowed, but when he heard footsteps outside, he blinked and looked up. Another man entered the room, but he only went in a few feet before stopping and looking at Shimbou. His blonde hair looked unusually bright over his black coat, and it framed his pale face. His one good eye fell on Sami's unconscious form.

"It's that _thing's_ fault, you know," the man said with a smirk, and took a step forward, "You should think about destroying it." Shimbou blinked, wondering how such a man even got inside. He had seen Ryou lock the house so no one could get in. Clearly, Ryou needed new locks. The man walked over to Sami, and bent down to pick up her wrist. Shimbou noticed with terrified eyes the almost insane look the man had in his eyes as he held her hand.

"W-what the hell are you doing?" Shimbou asked, as the man took out a knife from his pocket, tapping it against the crystal, "Hey, stop! You're going to kill her if you do that!" The man ignored Shimbou, looking at Sami's slender wrist for another moment. He looked absolutely mystified now. Then, he raised the knife and plunged it into the crystal. Shimbou screamed, but it was nil next to the horrible roar that erupted, not from Sami, but from the crystal. It was so mighty, so powerful, it crushed the glass and shattered everything that could be broken. The cold wind rushed into the room, and Shimbou knew that what had happened was beyond his control. He was thrown out of the room, so bad was the wind, but he couldn't see the blonde man anywhere. The blonde man… he had attacked the crystal! Damn it, Sami could be dead right then. Shimbou scrambled up.

"Damn it, what the fuck did you do!?" Shimbou yelled above the wind, but it seemed to only drown out his words. Terrified, he ran down the stairs, intent on finding a knife to stab the man with, and then stopped. He couldn't leave Sami behind; that man may have _wanted_ to kill her. Turning on his heel, he ran back up the stairs, but ice was already forming on the stairway, making it dangerous to traverse. But he persevered, and eventually he made it onto the second floor, and toward the doorway to Ryou's room. If the man was still there, he'd strangle him. Either way, Shimbou knew someone was going to die soon. He hoped it wasn't himself, or Sami.

"Sami!" he called, running in, but the sight he saw stopped him dead in his tracks. Sami was up, the man in a heap beside her. She appeared to be looking at nothing, but at everything at the same time. Shimbou's blood froze. She looked so strange, half-floating in the air as she was. Even the ends of her sleeves pointed upwards. He slowly walked over to her. But she didn't appear to see him. Gently, too gently, he reached out to touch her.

"Sami, snap out of it!" he exclaimed, and touched her hand. She felt as cold as the ice she was surrounded by. Her eyes snapped open, and she glared down at Shimbou. Her eyes were no longer the steel-jade they usually were. They were dark, red, vacuous. Shimbou shivered as he backed away from her, and then simply turned to flee. Whoever she was, she wasn't herself any longer. He had to get away. But he wasn't nearly fast enough. Sami opened her mouth to speak; out came a language so terrifying, Shimbou didn't care where it came from.

"Duegnir Weisholt!" Sami screamed, and Shimbou was tossed mercilessly out the window into the snowy grass below as wind blew fiercely, firing shards of ice everywhere as they cascaded from the window. He struggled to get up, rolling away just in time. Skin white, he ran from the yard and into the street, where his motorcycle sat. He had no idea what was happening, but he knew there was no saving his best friend's girlfriend anymore. He just had to get the hell away before she murdered him.

"I have to tell Ryou," he said tiredly as he kicked his bike on, "I don't know what the hell that asshole was trying to do to her, but Sami's gone ballistic!" He pumped the gas as much as he could, but it took less than a minute for Sami's powerful magic to freeze him in place. He fell right off his bike, the sudden stop throwing him hard into the ground. He sat up dizzily, and looked around to see where he was. If he hadn't known Ryou's house, he wouldn't have recognized Domino. Everything was blanketed in snow, and it'd be buried by midnight, if Shimbou could guess. He had to stop Sami before that happened. The only problem was, Sami wasn't human and he knew that. She'd crush him. But he had to try. He rushed back up the stairs, throwing himself against the door and pounding on it as hard as he could.

"Sami!" he yelled, pounding harder, "Sami, open up!" There was no answer. Shimbou kept trying until the cold penetrated his knuckles and he was forced to stop. He couldn't risk bleeding to death out here. But she had to be stopped! He wished he'd been born a mountain climber; he could've climbed up to the window he'd been thrown out of. But then what? Unless that bastard of a man had gotten up and was distracting her, she'd kill Shimbou. The boy sighed. This _had_ to be difficult.

"How am I going to tell Ryou about this?" he sighed, and looked up into the sky. He'd felt just a ripple of something, and now saw that there was a dark speck among the clouds. It grew, and kept growing fast, and Shimbou noticed it was coming right for the house. Golden in color, with great scales and a large beak, it looked amazingly bright against the black of the clouds. It looked almost like a dragon, and as Shimbou realized this, he screamed. A _dragon_ was speeding toward him, and if he didn't move, he'd be flattened. So, he forced himself to dive right into the snow as the dragon reared and landed onto the ground with a mighty crash, sending waves of snow flying off into the night. Shimbou barely saw the people slipping from the creature's large back.

"Shimbou, what happened?" Ryou asked, running over to help Shimbou up. He hadn't been able to fathom just what had happened, but he'd seen the broken glass, and he could hear Sami up there. He couldn't hear what she was saying, but he heard her. Shimbou shook his head, shivering from diving headfirst into the cold blanket.

"Honestly, I don't know," he replied quickly, "This blonde dude showed up and started talking nonsense. Ryou, he _smashed_ the crystal! She went completely ballistic up there!" Ryou's eyes narrowed angrily. He knew _exactly_ who had come. The blonde man who hated him so, and barely helped him during his fight against Katsaiga. The very thought ran shivers of hatred up Ryou's spine. He vowed to shoot the man if he ever saw him again, and he had a feeling he'd be granting himself that wish soon. He turned to Katt.

"Can you melt the ice?" he asked sharply. Katt blinked, and looked at the ice that had begun to cover the door. It was thick; she doubted even a battering ram could dent it. Whatever Sami was doing, it was amazingly effective. Katt shook her head.

"No. Sami's even more powerful than I am," she replied, "Whatever she's doing up there, I don't think I can counter it." Ryou looked down, silently cursing. If that man, that stupid bastard, hadn't come and done this, Sami would be safe. He looked to Bakura. The old thief seemed deathly worried, and quite frankly, he had a right to be. If this wasn't stopped, they'd all be thrown into an ice age.

"There has to be a way in!" Bakura cried out, and rushed up to the porch. He banged on the door, but it did no good. Ryou just shut his eyes, trying to think. Magic wouldn't work; Sami was so powerful that anything less than herself would be voided. And Ryou wasn't sure if there even _was_ anyone stronger than her. Machines were useless as well. Sami had probably frozen most of them by then. Which meant they'd have to resort to physical force. A task that would prove impossible for them. There was nothing there for them to use. Ryou opened his eyes, and realized that, at least for the moment, the chanting had stopped. Sami was resting! The ice started to lose its form, which meant they could enter. Ryou couldn't let the seconds roll by. He jumped onto the stairs, gesturing to the others.

"Everyone! Inside!" he called. No one argued as they rushed up after him. Bakura, Ishtar, and Shimbou threw themselves at the door to break it open, and they poured inside. The house was frozen solid, and Ryou could see that frost had formed on the great mirror in his entryway. Frost formed _everywhere_, now that Ryou took a look. On the chests, on the tables, even on the radiator. It was so cold that a fine mist had formed, chilling them all to the bone. No amount of turning down the heater would've done this. Ryou shivered as he looked up the icy stairs.

"How the fuck did she do this!?" Ishtar asked, getting off of the ground and looking around the hallway. Ryou just sighed. There were many ways for her to pull this off. He just didn't know why she would right then. Could she truly have been crazy? Ryou guessed she must've been. Sami on her own would never do this. He instinctively reached for the railing; it was slick with ice. Which meant the stairs were even worse. There'd be no going up there unless he wanted to die. The only other way was through the chimney, and somehow, he doubted anyone else would go for that. He presented the choice nonetheless.

"The chimney? Wouldn't that be even worse?" Malik asked him. Ryou just growled. So far, no one else was coming up with an idea, and they were running out of time. If Sami started again, all hell would break loose. Bakura looked at Ryou, seeing the tension in the young man's face. He had to act. And, for Bakura, there was only one thing that he felt could help them.

"I'll find a knife. Maybe we can chisel our way up," he suggested, disappearing into the kitchen. Ryou thought that it was a rather stupid idea, but that _was_ one alternative he hadn't thought of. Unfortunately, one scream from Bakura told Ryou the plan had been… well, frozen as he said, "_ALL OF THE KNIVES ARE STUCK IN THEIR HOLDERS!_" Ryou would've laughed, except that it didn't surprise him and it wasn't funny.

"So much for that dumb idea," Yami stated, rolling his eyes as Bakura ran out, cursing. Everyone started murmuring, unable to decide what else they could do. Ryou just growled, rushing into the living room as Rush growled, looking at him from under the couch. He ignored the dog, and ran to the chimney, ripping the screen away. Then, he climbed up into the chute. He ignored the soot as it fell over him, and pushed himself up. He could hear Sami just slightly, and found she was talking to someone. He narrowed his eyes; he didn't even want to guess who it could've been as he made his way toward where her fireplace connected to the chute.

"Please… tell me…" he heard her say, her voice low with distress, "Before… before she comes back. Please!"

"Sith, I can't. You have to trust me," Ryou's eye twitched as he recognized that voice to be none other than the blonde man he hated so dearly, "Look, I can't explain _in this world_, but if you come with me, I'll tell you everything. Please." Ryou snarled. If the blonde man were any closer, he'd have shoved him out the window. For a second, he was worried Sami would actually take the deal.

"…no," she said. Ryou grinned, until he heard the click of a gun. The man was going to shoot her. Ryou rushed up the rest of the chute, burst into Sami's room, and screamed wildly, hoping to distract the man. Sami and the man looked over, both of them shocked. Ryou blinked, wondering what was going on when he saw the man aim his Winchester _at him_. Ryou's eyes widened in terror, and before he could stop himself, he kicked the man, sending him flying out of the window, the man unable to keep steady from the ice. Sami watched silently as he fell, landing in the snow with a soft thud. Ryou turned to her.

"What did he want!?" Ryou demanded, putting his hands on her shoulders, "Are you okay!?" Sami let out a soft sigh, and nodded as she turned. Her skin was pale, but she didn't look like she was about to die.

"I'm fine," she whispered, "He helped me. He… Ryou, he wants me to go with him to another world." Ryou felt his blood boiling. How dare that arrogant bastard ask her that! Ryou was glad he kicked the man out the window. If he hadn't, he'd have done far, far worse. He shook his head angrily, trying partly to clear it, partly to tell Sami not to consider the offer.

"Don't do it!" he exclaimed, "Sami, why the hell would he want that!? What's going on!?"

"Something inside of that crystal is trying to possess me," she explained calmly, as she set her glasses down, "He's sure his friends can help me, but they can't come here… and… oh shit…" Ryou backed away as Sami dropped to one knee, her breathing becoming rapid. She was trembling, but Ryou didn't dare touch her. Her eyes were changing color, to a deep red that Ryou knew meant either fury or evil. Slowly, too slowly, she stood up, looking straight at him.

"And it matters not what she does now, eh, Ryou Bakura?" she asked, but her voice sounded so different now; so unlike _her_, "So, _you_ are the one we're looking for. How interesting. The last human Sith involved herself with was…" Sami didn't finish. Ryou didn't let her. He knew what she meant now. He tackled her over, both of them sliding out of the door and crashing down through the banister. Wood rained down upon the floor below, with the two of them crashing on top of it. Sami screamed in pain, and everyone turned to see what was going on.

"_RUN!_" Ryou screamed, scrambling up as Sami struggled, "She's possessed! Get out of here!" Bakura looked on in horror as Sami stood up, wiping the blood off of her chest. She grabbed Ryou by the hair, dragging him to his knees. Her eyes looked terrifyingly red, and her pupils had become so small. She grinned as Katt gasped, backing away. Bakura noted that Katt seemed uniquely afraid of her now. But before he could ask, Sami spoke.

"There is no use running from me," she replied calmly, her voice deeper than it should've been, "Do not interfere, or Sith and this whelp both die. You don't want that, do you? No… none of you do. Therefore, you will listen to me." Bakura found they had no choice unless they wanted two dead bodies on their hands. He looked at Yami. The poor pharaoh seemed just as defeated. He clenched his fists.

"What is it you want!?" he demanded, "Why're you possessing her?" Sami just smiled, her eyes narrowing gently as she examined him. A small gasp escaped her lips, making Bakura wince. He was beginning to recognize that voice, but from where, he couldn't remember. He simply watched her as she looked down at them all.

"Possessing? My, that's quite an interesting word," Sami said, tapping her chin as she looked up at the ceiling, "No, I was using that crystal as a conduit to speak with you, of course. No possession was intended, though I will say it's nice to see what this woman's thinking right now. Did you know that she actually believed, for a tiny second, that I'd waste my energy making an _eighth_ Millennium item? How pathetic!" She laughed hysterically, her voice sounding shrill as it bounced across the hall. Katt's body shook. She couldn't bear to see her own sister like this. She pointed up to Sami furiously.

"What are you!?" she yelled. Sami stopped laughing and looked at her calmly. A thin, wicked, little grin began to cross her face. It scared Katt, who backed away as Sami advanced.

"What am I? My dear Katt, you know who I am," she said, and let out a laugh, "I am Rath, the leader of the Espers. And I will be the one to destroy this world, as it should have been all those years ago." Yami's eyes widened. Rath! That was who Katsaiga had warned them of two years ago! She hadn't been joking. This was even worse than Yami had feared. Sami might very well be lost to them now.

"_Rath!?_ Holy shit, we're screwed now," Ishtar stated unhelpfully, "Ah, well, no use crying over it. Prepare to face the darkness!" He brandished the Millennium Rod, but Sami didn't look the least bit afraid. She held out her hand, and the two slammed each other with magic. Ishtar was thrown back, and Sami slammed right into the mirror, shattering it on impact. Glass cascaded down around her, shattering into tiny shards as they landed. Katt winced as she saw blood spill onto the floor.

"What the hell _was_ that?" Malik asked, as Yami ran over to where Sami was lying, unconscious. He took her wrist, and saw that the crystal had been cracked, but it wasn't yet broken. He took it and ripped it away. Ryou screamed, but then he saw Sami was still breathing. She was fine. Yami threw the crystal onto the floor, kicking it away from her.

"No idea, but we need to destroy this thing," the pharaoh said, beckoning Bakura and Ishtar over to help him, "If she wakes up, there's a chance she'll inadvertently whip our attacks back at us." Ryou nodded, crawling over to help Sami sit up. She felt limp in his arms, but she was still warm. She had some time left to her.

"What do we do?" Ishtar asked, as he glanced over at Ryou. Yami hummed for a second, and then pointed to two spots across from him.

"You two stand over there, opposite each other," Yami said, and quickly, the other two obeyed. They formed a triangle around the crystal, each one muttering a different spell as they brought out their items. It took only a minute before the crystal reacted with a loud chime, and then proceeded to hover. It took Ryou a minute to understand that the chime was actually a scream, and soon, a writhing figure came out of the crystal, shattering like glass. Ryou winced. He couldn't see what it was, but it was gone before he could ask. He took Sami's hand, wishing her pulse would quicken just a little. Katt bit her lip, looking from her sister, to Yami.

"Well?" she asked after a moment. Yami opened his eyes, his skin nearly gray from the effort he had to exert. He smiled weakly, giving her the thumbs-up.

"Whatever Rath used to get to her, it's gone now," he told Katt somberly, "She won't bother your sister any longer." Katt nodded, and Shadi, who'd been in the back, watching, walked over and took the crystal. It was dull now; inactive.

"It would be best that she keep this in case Rath comes back for her. She will be able to break it if need be now," he said quietly, "I will return it when she awakens." Ryou nodded, and Shadi proceeded outside with Ishizu and Malik. Katt took Shimbou, Bakura, and Ishtar, and led them to the kitchen for some first aid. All three had been pretty badly injured from the events of the past day. Ryou just looked down at Sami. She looked sick again. Sighing, he picked her up.

"What will happen to her?" he asked Yami, as he brought her into the living room to rest. He laid her on the couch gently, and then remembered that the blonde man was still upstairs. He'd have to be dealt with eventually. But for now, Ryou couldn't do anything. Sami needed him close by in case she woke up. Yami sat down, and felt her wrist. Her pulse had quickened a bit. She'd make it.

"She just needs to rest," the spirit assured him, "She lost a lot from Rath. I'm surprised she wasn't killed." Ryou gritted his teeth. That had to be credited to the blonde man, as much as he hated to admit it. Technically, that freed Sami enough to gain some power over Rath. But it hadn't been enough. He wondered if they actually succeeded in destroying the crystal's power. If it absorbed Sami, it shouldn't have been that easy for them.

"…me too," Ryou said simply, deciding it best not to tell Yami about the blonde man. He looked down at Sami again and patted her arm. She was in pain, but she'd be perfectly fine in the morning. Meanwhile, he'd have to deal with another problem. Now seemed like a good time, if Yami was going to stay. He looked at the old pharaoh, and asked, "Yami, would you do me a favor?" Yami looked over, slightly perplexed.

"What is it, Ryou?" he asked. Ryou took a deep breath and looked away. He knew he was getting angry just thinking of what he'd do next. He didn't want Yami guessing. The man was unusually good at that.

"Watch Sami for me," Ryou replied, "I have to do something really quick." Yami nodded, and watched as Ryou walked up the stairs. Whatever he was doing, Yami was sure he didn't want to be involved. He just took Sami's hand and watched her carefully. She'd wake up soon, that much, he knew. That was the only thing he knew about in this situation. And somehow, he was fine with that.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

After finding out the 'item' really was a trap, now Ryou needs to go and dispose of another unwanted guest in his house as Yami keeps watch over Sami. Will Ryou actually forcefully throw someone out of his house? Who is that MYSTERIOUS BLONDE MAN? Is it a show reference? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button.


	6. The Worst Dinner Conversation

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Takahashi does, and if I have to keep telling you that, I'll need to smack you.

Ryou had wandered up the stairs silently, ignoring the puddles of water as the ice melted away, the sunshine returning in gusto. It blared through the windows, reflecting brightly off of the ice that was melting a little too slowly. Ryou passed it in silence. Sami's room wasn't far away now, and he hadn't heard anything indicating anyone was there. Either the man had run away, or he was dead. Personally, Ryou hoped it was the latter. As he stepped toward her room, the soggy carpets making his footfalls louder, he had the feeling that neither happened, and that the man was actually waiting for him. And, when he finally reached her door and looked inside, he saw he had been right. He cursed. He was hating this part of living with Sami; weird people always showed up when he didn't want them to be there.

"So, you actually helped Sith, eh?" the man asked, sitting on Sami's bed as he clicked his Winchester closed, "Nice, though next time, try _not_ to nearly kill her. Makes loving her much less possible, don'cha think?" Ryou's eye twitched. It'd been two years since he heard that voice, that arrogant, smug voice he'd come to hate. And his hatred hadn't lessened for it. His brows creased.

"And what about you? I hear you nearly broke the crystal," Ryou retorted hatefully, his voice oozing with venom, "What, you wanted her dead?" The man snorted, and shook his head as he got off of the bed. His one good eye looked at Ryou squarely in the eyes.

"The opposite, actually," he replied airily, waving his hand, "Believe it or not, I actually love her. Don't think this means I'm leaving just because you're going to try proposing to her." Ryou's eyes widened in horror. How the hell had he known about the engagement ring!? Ryou's eyes narrowed, and he moved to keep his pocket hidden from view. The man laughed and said, "I already know about it, moron."

"How!?" Ryou demanded, and then said, "Stay away from her or I'll have Bakura kill you." The man laughed again. Clearly, Bakura didn't scare him as much as Ryou hoped he would. This looked bad. The man shook his head, picking up his beloved gun.

"I don't think I will," he replied simply, walking to the balcony door, which was broken, "But do expect me to come by again. You know, 'cause I love her and everything. See you!" Ryou growled, lunging to tackle the man, but he had already jumped off the balcony before Ryou could move. Ryou watched over the edge as he saw the man run from the yard down the street quickly, too quickly for Ryou to catch up with. Ryou's body shook with fury. He'd be coming back, too. This time, he wouldn't live through it. Sighing angrily, Ryou stormed out of the room and back down the stairs to where Yami still sat. Yami looked up at him quietly.

"You okay?" he asked, when he noticed that Ryou looked really, really annoyed. Ryou nodded, and sat in a chair stiffly. Then, he blinked slowly, considering what the man said. The man… did he mean it when he said he loved Sami? But he kept calling her Sith. Surely, he didn't mean the same person… except that he _was_ talking about her. Damn it, Ryou wished he knew Sami better than she obviously knew herself. It'd explain pretty much everything that was going wrong now.

"Yami, you went through something similar. Sami doesn't know who she is, and everyone keeps calling her different things," Ryou summarized, "And just now, this crazy man, who keeps bothering the two of us for _no reason_, just showed up and told me he loves her! I have no idea what's going on. Do you have any advice?" Yami blinked slowly, trying to think. Clearly, this was distressing Ryou. But there was so little he knew how to do. His lips thinned.

"No. I'm guessing he knows her quite well, though. His demeanor, from what you say, suggests he had an intimate relationship," Yami stated, and Ryou felt himself getting sick, "Oh, you really think you're the only one allowed to love her? Ryou, take this with as much respect as possible: Get over yourself."

"_EXCUSE ME!?_" Ryou exclaimed, standing up, "I have a real problem and you're going to tell me _I'm_ the cause of it!?" Yami didn't look particularly taken aback by the boy's outburst. He looked at Ryou flatly as he held Sami's limp wrist in his hand. Even against his skin, she looked white.

"I suggest you sit or I won't help you," the old spirit stated calmly, and Ryou sat with a huff, "Now, has he actually said who he is?" Ryou shook his head and threw up his arms in frustration.

"That's the problem! He won't even _tell_ her!" he exclaimed, "He just shows up, acts like he has any business here, and then says something that really confuses both of us! Yami… what am I dealing with here?" Yami remained silent as he tried to think. This wasn't a coincidence. The crystal, the man, the storm, the sheer _power_ Sami had wielded; none of it was simple coincidence. All of it meant something. But what? Yami tried to think of his own experience with his identity. He had all of this power and no idea why, either. But Sami had one key difference: _everyone_ knew who she was. For him, only Malik had known who he was, and even then, Malik didn't have every answer he needed. The Mystics had the answers Sami needed. It was just the matter of getting them.

"You're dealing with a part of her past that she's either purposely forgotten, or she truly doesn't remember," Yami finally said simply, "My guess is, though, she suffers amnesia. Or something similar. But in either case, we're dealing with people who know her as more than an acquaintance. She _means_ something to this man. She _means_ something to Rath, and the other Mystics. They wouldn't be showing up here if it was about us. We're not worth a cent to them right now."

"But Sami is," Ryou concluded, and Yami nodded, "What do you think she did that warrants their hatred?" Yami just shrugged, leaning back as he let Sami's wrist fall gently.

"I have no idea. Bakura says she looks familiar, but he can't place why," the spirit replied carefully, "Tell you truth, she did remind me of someone when I first saw her, but it's been too long. I can't place the face, either. But there's something about her expression that does spark a memory in me." Ryou tilted his head, hoping Yami would continue. But the old spirit didn't speak again. This was getting frustrating now. Why did he even ask Yami, if Yami was going to give him half answers?

"And what is this memory?" Ryou asked, after a span of five minutes passed. Yami looked at him for a quick second, and a sly smile crossed his face. It was never good when Yami smiled like that. It usually meant he trapped you in some way.

"You expect me to remember?" Yami asked in amusement, and chuckled as Ryou scowled, "Ryou, Ryou, Ryou… we're lucky I remember I'm the pharaoh. My life spans so far back, I cannot remember each and every face I've encountered. All I know is that she _looks_ familiar. That means absolutely nothing." Ryou mumbled, turning away. Yami was absolutely no help, but just as he thought of it, another voice spoke his thoughts almost down to the very word.

"Well, that's the lousiest half-assed response if ever I've heard one," Ryou looked down to see that Sami had woken up now, her eyes shining with amusement, "What do you honestly expect Ryou to do with that, Yami?" Yami's grin merely widened, and likewise, Sami smiled right back. It was like some deeper understanding that Yami was, in his own way, trying to help Ryou out. Ryou wished he had the same kind of friendship Sami had obviously established. She seemed to get Yami's cryptic messages when they confounded everyone else.

"Sami, how long have you been up?" Ryou asked her suspiciously. She turned her sharp eyes on him, so bright with amusement. And yet there was something underneath that told him, in a way, she wasn't joking at all.

"Since you came down, actually," she replied easily, waving the question off with one of her own, "I hear you spoke to that man again. What'd he say this time?"

"He loves you," Ryou grumbled grumpily. Sami blinked, her grin frozen on her face in shock. Slowly, she looked at Yami. He raised an amused brow at her, unable to confirm nor deny Ryou's words. Then, Sami just laughed. She laughed very hard, and Ryou's brows creased as he snapped, "What's so funny, Sam!?"

"You are!" she laughed, "Do you have any idea how furious you look!? Ryou, I've murdered with a look before, and quite frankly, you look more murderous than I. What did this man say to piss you off so badly, eh?" Ryou sighed. If only Sami had been there. Then he thought it was probably best she wasn't. She might've actually stabbed the man, and as much as Ryou wanted that, he knew she needed the man's help as well.

"He loves you, okay!?" Ryou snapped again, and stood up, "How do you want me to take it? You want me to be happy or something!? Fine, then, I'm _thrilled_! Okay!? I'm _thrilled_ that someone loves you, Sami!" Sami's grin faded rapidly, and she looked at Ryou very critically. He had just made a fool of himself, and she was watching it. Now his face flushed red. She pointed to his chair.

"Ryou, sit down," she commanded, "First of all, you're being ridiculous. So another man loves me. I'm not surprised, Ryou. It's human nature, and I'm not betrothed to you. You do _not_ own me, understand? Second, I've made it clear that I care about you. Have a little more faith in me, all right? Third, if he said this, where is he now?" Ryou's fists clenched. Sami may have been right, _technically_, but now he was just fuming. He was supposed to just accept this! He may be mild, but he was _no_ milksop. He wasn't prepared to lose Sami. Especially to a man as rude as that.

"I don't know, and I don't really care right now," he told her furiously. Sami's look turned flat very quickly. She wasn't taking him overly seriously. And, by the look of it, neither was Yami. They looked at each other, and Yami just shrugged. Sami turned back to Ryou, her eyes still flat with annoyance.

"You're being a child," she replied, and then said, "Well, if you won't answer me, I will go about my day now. I'm going to head to work and explain to my boss why I didn't come in. Not that I'd need to, but it's common courtesy, and you need to cool off." Ryou turned an angry glare on her. He couldn't _believe_ this was how she was acting! He was her _boyfriend_. He was going to propose to her, and here she was telling him he was unreasonable for hating another man who loved her! Just who the hell did she think she was, anyway!? He wanted to argue that, but Yami looked over at her, smiling.

"Want me to come, too?" he asked. Ryou wondered just what Yami thought would warrant his coming along as well, but Sami actually nodded.

"Yeah. I won't be so pissed if shit hits the fan," she decided. She and Yami got up, and with Ryou tagging behind reluctantly, they headed out to the car. Sami got in the passenger side, and Ryou decided to let Yami drive, seeing as how he was the eldest there. Before they could pull out, though, Shadi had been waiting, and spoke to Yami just briefly. Sami caught the man giving the spirit something, but before she could question, Yami put it away. Then, they finally drove off.

The drive had been short; Domino City was blessed with easy-flowing traffic. But the conversation between Yami and Sami made it seem too long to be just the ten minutes it took to get to Flamenco's. Yami didn't keep secrets; he told Sami about what Ryou asked him. And though Sami gave Ryou a disapproving glance, she answered as best as she could: She truly, honestly didn't know who those people were or what they wanted with her anymore. Especially concerning the blonde man. Then, she asked him in turn about what Shadi had given him. Yami didn't lie. Shadi had given him the crystal to give to her. And she didn't look the least bit happy for that information as Yami pulled into the parking lot. Sighing, she said, "I'll be back in a few minutes. Don't drive off." Yami just grinned and gave her the thumbs-up.

"Wouldn't think of it, 'babe," he teased, which actually earned a snort from Ryou. Sami raised a brow, and then departed for the café. Yami watched, and looked up at the place. He shivered. There was something not quite right about that place, but he just couldn't place it. It looked like a normal café. Except that he couldn't shake off this terrible feeling. And it only grew when Sami came out minutes later. She stormed to the car, got in, and slammed the door so hard, Ryou was worried she'd actually rip it off the hinges. Yami looked at her, slightly concerned, as she shoved her seatbelt on. "Well?"

"That retarded, little crud-bunny!" she shrieked, "I could kill him for this!" Yami glanced at Ryou, both wondering just what could've happened to make her so angry. Threats of death could never be taken lightly with her.

"Sami, what happened?" Ryou asked her slowly. She growled, and forced herself to stare out the window. If she even looked at anyone, there was a good chance she'd fly off and slam their heads into the door. Right then, she wished she had some scotch with her.

"That little bastard just _fired me_," she spat, "Out of nowhere, for no reason, he fired my ass and hired some retarded, little bimbo to take my place! The goddamned _NERVE_! I've been working there for two fucking years!" Ryou's skin paled as Yami patted her back. That really wasn't good news; they couldn't live on just his salary alone now. Bakura would have to get a job for the time being while she looked for a new one.

"Sorry, Sami," Yami said, as Ryou asked, "Who's the new girl?"

"Someone I'm tempted to just go back in and set on fire," she replied, and in a mocking voice, said, "Hi, I'm _Amber_, and I'm a stupid, little twit who likes to do my nails and highlight my hair, and blind everyone within a mile radius with my _cute, little smile!_' You want to _know_ what the little shit had the nerve to say to me!?" Ryou nodded quickly, never having seen Sami get so enraged before. He thought it best to let her rant before it turned to violence. And with her, if she drank, it would.

"What'd she say?" Yami asked. Sami's eye twitched angrily as she slammed her fist into the dashboard.

"That good things _always_ happen to good people, and obviously, look what happened to _me!_" she practically screamed, her eyes glowing red, "I swear, I'll kill her if I see her again!" There was a level of definitive hatred in her voice that worried both men, because they knew very well that if Sami got her hands on some whiskey and downed a bottle, she really _would_ go back and murder both her boss and this new girl he hired. And probably the cops that'd come to arrest her, too. It'd be a very bloody episode to deal with.

"No! You really don't want to do that!" Ryou urged, as Yami snorted, "Sam, just calm down! We'll go and drive around and let you cool off! It'll be better later, I promise!" He threw a cold glare at Yami, who continued to laugh at him as he spoke. This just wasn't funny. Sami was _serious_ when it came to murder. And she was more than efficient with the use of a sword. Or of any weapon that was placed in her hand, now that Ryou thought about it. He'd _have_ to get her mind off of murder.

"Fine. Drive around. I don't give a shit," she growled. Yami just sighed, and pulled out of the parking lot. Ryou finally felt glad that the old spirit had gone with them. He knew he couldn't handle the full throttle of Sami's outrage alone. He might've actually succeeded in fueling it. Yami was really the only one who knew how to calm her down. And considering just how battle-efficient she was, that was a miracle.

"So, where to?" Yami asked, as he drove into the throng of mid-day traffic. Sami didn't seem about to answer, so Ryou scanned the streets for anything to do. But there really wasn't much. The only thing available was shopping, and Sami detested it almost as much as she detested her new rival. In the end, Yami ended up just driving down a quiet road through the forest. Of everything, nature was a good way to get Sami to calm down a little.

"So, did Shadi say anything when he gave you the crystal?" Ryou asked Yami, as Sami rolled down her window to let some air flow in. Yami turned around a bend, and nodded as the sound of birds began to flood the air.

"Yes. He says it shouldn't do anything anymore, but it might still have some side effects to it," Yami replied, and he saw Sami turn to him sharply, "Relax. He just means it might make you cold, or it might amplify your magic. Nothing physically noticeable." Sami relaxed a little bit on that note. She clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth as she watched a bird soar by.

"Am I still keeping it?" she asked warily. Yami glanced at her for a long second.

"If you want it, then yes," he replied slowly, "But if not, then I'll take it for you. Won't do a damn to me." Sami hummed, looking down. Ryou could tell she was considering the offer. Especially since it was used as a way for Rath to reach them. Seeing as how Rath was determined to be Sami's bitter enemy, the crystal could be useful… if it didn't kill her first.

"I'll take it," she finally said firmly, and Yami glanced at her for a split second, "It may provide us with a means to keep an eye on the Mystics." Ryou's eyes widened as he turned sharply to Sami. Yami just nodded in agreement. They must've discussed the Mystics at some point; Yami wasn't even remotely worried at their mention. Ryou looked between the two, but neither spoke again.

"…you… you think they're back?" he whispered. Sami glanced back at him as Yami took to looking at the road, and she nodded grimly. It was a silly question to ask, seeing as how Rath had spoken directly to them, but he had to be sure. This meant they were in danger again.

"I'm positive that they've never left," she replied, looking down, "There's something in this world they want, and I've got something to do with it. But I don't even know what it is, nor could I begin to even guess it." Ryou glanced to Yami again. He remembered the pharaoh's words, and he had a feeling this had to do with what Sami had once been. But what had she possibly done?

"Do you think anyone aside from them might know about it?" Ryou asked her, "I mean, no one's going to tell you, and you don't seem to know how to start looking." Sami didn't respond right away. She closed her eyes to try and think. Not many people _would_ know, especially since the Mystic line ran so far back in this world's history. The best she could do was head over to the ESB branch in northern Domino and look through the files there to find what she needed. And the Espers there disliked her too much to allow access. Finally she shook her head.

"The only people who would know won't help me, either," she replied, and slammed her fist into the dashboard with a crash, "Damn it all, what did I even do!?" Ryou inched back a bit, terrified of Sami's explosive rage. But it lasted for only a second. Yami kept one hand on the wheel as he patted Sami's back.

"We'll figure it out one day. Right now, we need to figure out what to do _now_," he told them both, "That crystal's still a risk, and if you're going to keep it, we'd better know what you plan to do with it." Ryou wished he'd asked that question, too. He wanted to know Sami's logic behind keeping such a dangerous object, especially when it almost killed her. She gave a sly grin, leaning back in her seat as she took off her glasses.

"Well, we could try and reverse the modes of communication Rath used, and see if we could do something with it," she replied easily, "Think about it. We could probably learn what they're doing in your world if we eavesdrop on them. And we might learn where to find them. At least, it'd make my job a little easier." Ryou and Yami both blinked, and then turned to each other. They didn't need to converse to know that they both felt this idea was bad. Ryou slowly turned to Sami again.

"I really don't think that's a good idea," he told her.

"Sami, we don't know what Rath is capable of. She might notice if you wiretap her own devices," Yami added seriously, "I don't think we need to risk it." Sami looked at them both incredulously, and Ryou knew she felt they were being overly cautious. She wasn't the one taking care of herself when she was nearly dead. Sighing, she slumped back.

"Well, what else are we going to do with this piece of crap?" she demanded, "Let it sit and look nice on the mantle?"

"I don't think you're thinking this through too well," Yami commented, "You must've been hit harder than we thought. Sam, if you open up a link to Rath, she's going to take advantage of it. She's not Katsaiga. She won't show you mercy because of your past. She's not on your side." Sami gave him a flat stare. She already knew all of this, and she knew she hadn't been whacked _that_ hard. The problem was, she _was_ being logical. If she could learn anything, it really could help rid Ryou's world of the evil that she'd felt plaguing it for the past seven years. And that was top priority. She didn't know why, but it was.

"So then what do you think we should do?" she asked lowly. Ryou could tell she was getting frustrated with them both. Yami shrugged, and Ryou knew Sami didn't accept that as an answer.

"For now, just leave it alone and tell me if it acts up," he replied. Sami's stare didn't lessen. She _really_ didn't think that was a decent answer in the least.

"You have to be kidding me," she said bluntly, "You're going to sit here, agree that the Mystics are a threat, and then you're going to tell me I can't do anything to stop them? Can you _please_ make up your mind before I do it for you!?" Ryou had never heard anyone actually defying Yami, and Yami looked clear in that he wasn't used to it. He stared at Sami with wide eyes as he stopped at a red light. He looked almost afraid as he watched her. And that just didn't seem right.

"Sam, I don't want you getting yourself killed," he stated quietly, almost in a whisper, "Rath nearly killed us all the last time we faced her. If you find a way inside, she's going to try killing you again. And we can't let that happen. You might be the only one strong enough to stop them again." Sami's eyes softened only a little, but Ryou heard a short growl of frustration from her. And he didn't blame her. He certainly didn't want the responsibility of fighting off the Mystics, and being terribly outnumbered while doing so. But she gave in.

"All right. I won't use it that way," she sighed in surrender, "But I'm not wearing it otherwise. Unless I can turn it around and make it work for us, no one's wearing it. And if it makes even one sound, I'm cracking it." Ryou snorted. That was a pretty humorous ultimatum for Yami. But to his surprise, the pharaoh nodded his head.

"That's fine, though we'll need to explain that one to Shadi before you attempt it," he told her. She just gave another sigh. Ryou couldn't help but feel left out a little. There was very little he could do to advise Sami on their current problem. There was very little he could do for her period right then. But if it did bother her, she said nothing about it.

"So, what's Bakura's take on this?" she asked Ryou suddenly, so much so that he jumped back. He was surprised she'd actually ask him anything. His face flushed respectively.

"Uh…" he began nervously, "I'm not sure. I never asked." Sami turned her flat stare to him again. Clearly, this was beginning to really annoy her.

"I'm starting to think you and your friends are utterly useless when it comes to another world threat," she replied, her voice just as flat as her expression, "I think I'd even accept Joey's take, so long as it's more informative than either of you." Ryou didn't think that was particularly fair of her, seeing as how no one actually knew how the crystal was supposed to work. He opened his mouth to protest, but a loud rumbling next to their car distracted him. He turned, and his mouth dropped open again. Malik's motorcycle was next to them, with Malik, Bakura, Ishtar, and Katt all aboard it. Sami peered out curiously, and Malik just waved.

"Hey, friends!" he called cheerfully, "What's up?"

"Malik!? What the hell are you doing here?" Sami asked, raising a slender brow, "And why's Katt with you? …_ARE YOU LEAVING!?_" Malik just laughed at the sheer disapproval in Sami's voice. He expected it, and he certainly wasn't disappointed with her. He nodded.

"Yeah. We're going to Dice for the weekend. I think we deserve it after the shit _you_ put us through," he pointed out. Ryou wasn't so sure he'd be alive to tell it, but Sami didn't blow him up. Her brows creased in agitation. And, she shook her head.

"Absolutely not!" she exclaimed, "I will _not_ let my sister run off with you! I forbid it!" At that point, Malik was simply laughing at her. She was actually flustered! Ryou patted her shoulder, but she didn't appear to notice. Even Katt was laughing, and this time, Katt shook her head.

"Sis, you can't tell me what to do," she stated calmly, though her voice sounded ready to crack back into laughter, "I'll be back on Monday." But, Sami just wasn't that cooperative. She crossed her arms.

"You aren't going!" she argued angrily, "Katt, we're in the middle of a problem here! I will need your help!" Katt wasn't as cooperative either. She pointed to Yami defiantly.

"You have Yami and Ryou on your side. You'll be fine," she assured, but Sami just wasn't sure of that, "Look, sis, I understand, but I need to get out. I'll be back on Monday." Ryou could see Sami shaking with rage, but she didn't move a muscle. She merely nodded stiffly, her frown growing deep. Malik grinned at her.

"No worries, babe. I'll take good care of your sister, okay?" he said, and Sami's eye twitched. That was probably the last thing she wanted to hear, but at least she knew he'd try. How effective he'd be was a different story. She turned away so as to not kill him accidentally with her anger.

"Thanks a lot," she mumbled. Malik just gave her the thumbs up as his engine revved.

"No problem," he replied, and grinned again, "Besides, who knows? Maybe you'll have a brother-in-law when we get back!" That broke it for Sami. She screamed as he raced off, laughing as he fled down the road, Katt, Bakura, and Ishtar looking back at her sympathetically. Struggling, Sami finally ripped off the seat belt, but by that time, Yami was already driving. She yelled at him to stop, but he didn't. He knew what she'd do. But what he didn't expect was for her to try opening the door regardless. Ryou had to climb over and pull her back into the seat before she managed to really harm herself. That itself was a challenge; Sami was much stronger than he was.

"Sami, would you calm down!?" he demanded angrily, and she obeyed, albeit hesitantly, "Seriously, it'll be okay."

"If that little piece of shit does _anything_ to her, I'm murdering him!" she declared furiously, "No jury alive would convict me of it!" Yami just chuckled, shaking his head at how the encounter had turned out. If he ever knew what a sister was like, he had to guess that Sami was the overprotective one, and Katt was easily the defiant one. From what he read in fiction, they were just perfect for those roles.

"Good luck with that. I hear Phoenix Wright's back on the streets," he joked, "Besides, what would you have done, anyway?" That was another bad thing to say. Sami just grinned evilly, something that Ryou _knew_ meant trouble for them. Her eyes flashed for just a second. Just one tiny, little, insignificant second. But Ryou couldn't tell what she did. If she used magic, it was too small a fuse for him to sniff out.

"…what the hell did you just do!?" Ryou asked her, finally feeling that spark of magic. Sami laughed, and immediately over the horizon, they heard an explosion. Ryou's eyes widened. He didn't need to hear the ensuing curses in Egyptian to know what she just did. Katt might've been the master of illusion, but Sami was easily the master of revenge. And blowing the shit out of everything. Both skills proved pretty damn useful in this kind of situation. He looked at her again. She was _laughing_! Malik could've been dead right then! Except that he wasn't.

"_SAMI!_" Malik roared, "_YOU LITTLE BITCH! WHEN I GET BACK, YOU'RE DEAD!_" Sami just snorted. She didn't feel he was as big a threat as he hoped. Ryou didn't think he'd actually pull off her murder, either. Hell, Rath certainly hadn't. The fire in the distance died down, and after Sami stopped laughing so hard, Ryou slapped her on the shoulder in disapproval. He really didn't like her way of dealing with things. At all.

"You could've killed them!" he scolded furiously, "Are you crazy!?"

"I'm really getting sick of people asking me that," she replied blandly, "No, Ryou, I'm not crazy." The look on Ryou's face told her he wasn't so sure of that. But she ignored him. _She_ knew she wasn't insane, and in her mind, that was more than enough. If Ryou thought she was crazy, he'd find his way of dealing with it. Yami just stared at them both in disbelief. Neither had a particularly good way of handling what just happened. Quickly, he looked back at the road and changed the subject.

"Let's get some food," he mumbled, "I'm starving, and Yugi thinks I'm spending the night at your place, Ryou." Ryou raised a critical brow, and when he asked Yami why that was, the spirit said, "I was worried Sami wouldn't wake so quickly. I told him I'd stay with you until I knew she was safe." Sami smiled and gave his arm a friendly pat. Ryou just let out a heavy sigh, feeling as though no one really trusted his ability to take care of her himself. Considering the fact that he dragged Shimbou around to do it, he found he couldn't blame them if they _did_ think that. He nodded.

"Agreed," he said, "It'd be nice to have a good meal, and I don't want you cooking, Sami." Sami looked vaguely annoyed with that, but she also agreed with the gesture. She looked out the window with a hint of disinterest.

"Fine. As long as I'm not paying, we can eat in Vegas for all I care," she replied. Yami grumbled in displeasure, but no one objected as they continued down the road. Now all they had to do was find a restaurant…

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

And so, after waking up and leaving to speak with her boss, Sami finds herself fired. After consulting Yami on what to do with the crystal, with little help given, the three of them decide to spend the evening out. Where will they go, and what else will they discuss on the way? What of Malik, and will he get to Dice without his bike? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!


	7. Operation STALK

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Takahashi does, and he wants to know why he wasn't invited to dinner with Ryou, Sith, and Yami.

Yami continued driving for what felt like hours. Ryou was beginning to get the urge to tell him to just turn around; the only thing stopping him was that the thought of food, and not needing to cook for four, seemed to have mellowed Sami out a little. And he knew he'd be a damned fool to risk giving that up. But still, the ride was taking way too long, and it'd be only a matter of time before Sami began to notice it as well. Secretly, Ryou wished she would. She'd definitely make Yami turn around and drive home. But she didn't notice, and several more minutes passed before Ryou felt sure he'd drive himself insane if he didn't say anything.

"How long until we get there!?" he whined, and he noted how much he sounded like Bakura. Yami looked at him flatly through the rear-view mirror.

"We'll get there when we get there," came the annoyed reply, "It's not my fault that this road goes to the middle of nowhere." Ryou half-expected Sami to remind him that _he_ was the one driving, but she didn't open her mouth. Maybe she hadn't calmed down as much as they thought. No one said anything after that, and the restaurant came into view a few miles later. Yami parked the car, and Ryou helped Sami to get out, whether she needed it or not. They walked up the quiet path and up the stairs of what looked like a large, log cabin. Yami opened the door into an adorable entryway that spanned a few feet until it opened up into a much larger room. Already, Ryou smelled logs burning in a fireplace. It brought a sense of comfort to him that nothing else ever had before.

"Ah, welcome!" came the bright, cheerful voice of a young waitress, who rushed out upon seeing them enter, "How many today? Three?" Yami nodded, and the waitress grabbed three menus, leading them through the large common-room, toward the booths in the back, nearest the kitchen. The entire cabin smelled of wonderful food. Yami slid in, with Sami sitting next to him again. Ryou sat across from them both, and the waitress left to get them some water. Sami looked around the room quickly, seemingly to take in the scene; she was actually counting for exits in case something went wrong. She'd been in enough trouble to know that no place was peaceful, even in the middle of nowhere. There were three possible means of escape if it was necessary, but when she realized she'd been staring, she spoke.

"Lovely," she commented casually, "In most large cities, it's rare to have even one large park dedicated to the preservation of the region's natural beauty. Domino's very blessed for whoever rules over it now." Ryou couldn't help but snort. That was an interesting way to refer to the government, but then he remembered that Sami never involved herself in politics. Wherever she came from, she wasn't about to go messing around in this world if she could avoid it. He just smiled.

"Mayor Tamaki's very kind," he commented, "He believes firmly that we should do our best not to disturb nature. He thinks that, as human beings, it's our job to do what we can to protect our home, not destroy it." Sami's grin returned. Obviously, she approved. Lazily, she leaned back in her seat a little bit. She looked mildly amused.

"How ironic that he thinks that," she said bluntly, "Considering how advanced humans are with polluting their worlds. I know some people who'd like to have your mayor dead for that sort of unconscious hypocrisy." Ryou nearly choked as she said that. Considering that she couldn't remember a damn thing before coming to this world, that was a bold thing to say. Even Yami seemed taken aback by the comment. But before either could question her, the waitress came back with their water, pad in her hand. She flashed a dazzling smile at Sami.

"Are you ready to order?" she asked. Sami nodded without looking at her, and glanced only minimally at her menu before handing it to her.

"I'll take the eggplant parmesan," Sami said, "And if you have it, an Irish coffee." Ryou glanced warningly at her, but she ignored him. The waitress just giggled and wrote down the order, looking to Ryou and Yami next.

"Anything for you boys?" she asked cheerfully. Ryou blushed at the tone in her voice, and heard a snort of amusement from Sami herself. His brows creased. She was laughing at him! His eyes narrowed at her as he handed the waitress his menu.

"Veal, with a baked potato," he replied grumpily, as Yami said, "I'll try a caribou burger, whatever that is." Sami snorted a second time, and the waitress nodded, jotting their orders down, too.

"Coming right up!" she exclaimed, and then was off. Ryou watched her go, trying to avoid looking at Sami, but the older woman inevitably snorted _yet again_. He turned sharply, wondering just what he was doing to earn her mockery. Yami noted the anger sketched on his face.

"What is so funny, Sami?" Ryou demanded, trying to keep the impatience out of his voice. She didn't appear to notice it as she sipped her water.

"You are," came the amused reply, "You get angry because another man told you he loves me, and yet we come here and you're staring at the waitress." Ryou's eyes widened in guilt. That part was true enough, and he had hoped Sami hadn't noticed. But she had. She leaned and said, "I'll always find double-standards amusing. Especially if they're ridiculously stupid."

"Stupid!?" Ryou echoed, his voice dripping with anger, "Sami, I…"

"You seem to forget most of what you say to me," she commented, but not unkindly, "Let's make a deal, Ryou. Until one of us dies, or one of us leaves, or we marry, if ever, why don't we make this an open relationship? It'd certainly make things easier for _you_." Yami had never seen Ryou's face grow red before, but that definitely did it. Ryou looked ready to explode on her. The accusation alone! She was offensive, without actually being so. It was annoying.

"And what of you!?" he blurted out. But if he thought to stump her, he failed. Her grin became slightly more pointed, her eyes sparkling with amusement under those red lenses.

"That blonde man you hate so much looks appealing right now," she teased. Yami was sure Ryou would lose it for that one. Before that could happen, he cleared his throat.

"Want to know who _I_ like?" he interjected, "I think that waitress is kind of cute. Of course, she's probably three thousand years too young, but…"

"Yami, shut up," Sami said flatly, and Yami went completely silent as she turned back to Ryou, "What's wrong? Can't take it, but you're willing to dish it out?" Ryou growled under his breath, wishing sometimes that Sami didn't see things quite as clearly as she did. Maybe Bakura was right and he _wasn't_ ready for marriage just yet. At least, not to marriage with Sami.

"I can't believe you're even saying this to me," he grumbled, "It was one second. Just one!" But Sami didn't seem even remotely convinced. She just gave Ryou a skeptical stare. Yami glanced between both of them, now regretting that he came along. The tension was thick enough to stab with Sami's sword. Thankfully, the waitress came back with their food. Yami just smiled as she came to their table, setting their food down. It smelled delicious.

"Enjoy!" she exclaimed cheerfully, and then left them before Yami could thank her. Sami snorted again, and shook her head as she sipped her coffee. She grinned. The taste of Irish cream was a pleasure she savored, even if it had a tendency to make her tipsy. That never stopped her, of course. Ryou watched her cautiously as he picked up his fork and picked at his food. The tension didn't lessen with the arrival of their food.

"I won't get drunk," she told him, and then her grin widened, "Again." Ryou just sighed. At twenty-three, he never thought Sami would be considered a full-blown alcoholic, but she had a special love for alcohol that he just didn't understand. And when he actually met her mother, he heard she started drinking at the age of sixteen. How and why anyone let that happen was a mystery, and he was fairly sure she used magic to fix that a bit. And if she didn't, then Katt probably did.

"Hmph," he said in reply, "Just as long as I don't need to carry you up the stairs again." Sami's grin turned to a smug smirk as she recalled the last time she had gotten _that_ intoxicated. It was Bakura's fault, really, for he had actually challenged her to a game of shots. She had won, but it cost Ryou about ten minutes to get her up to her room. Yami's face paled as he took a bite of his burger, glancing between them again.

"How often does that happen?" he inquired warily, looking at Sami with slight concern. Ryou just sighed again in response. Sami, of course, just laughed. Her friends had such little faith in her ability to hold herself. She shook her head as she ate a bite of her own food.

"Not often," she told him, "The only time it got bad was when I lit my own sword on fire."

"You owed my father a new set of bed sheets and forty dollars for that," Ryou grumbled. Yami's eyes widened. He hadn't heard of _that_ story, and he was glad he hadn't been there. He wasn't an expert, but Sami with a flaming sword spelled a mess of trouble in his mind. And of death, too. No matter _what_ her condition was, any weapon in Sami's hands was a means to mass murder.

"Oh, please. He wanted a reason to replace that piece of shit he called a bed, and you knew it," Sami replied airily, "Besides, I didn't kill him, did I?" Ryou just grunted in frustration. Yami bit his lip as he watched them both. Now he could see why Bakura was always worried about where the two of them could end up. They bickered like an old couple already, and they weren't even married. Yami wondered if that'd change, but he didn't press. He quietly took another bite of his burger.

"You two sure have an interesting relationship," he commented. After that, their meal was eaten in silence. Thankfully, Sami didn't drink much at all; one Irish coffee and she was done for the night. After it was all said and done, Yami graciously paid, as it was originally his idea to go for a drive. The waitress accepted the large tip he gave, and Sami simply raised an amused brow when he walked out with a smile on his face. She was almost certain he managed to get the girl's number. But she didn't ask him. They walked to the car, just as the last few rays of sunlight were fading. It was getting close to seven or eight now.

"Should we head home?" she asked, as she climbed back into the passenger seat. Ryou nodded as he got in the back again. Yami hummed as he took the driver's seat and started the ignition. Under the harsh glare of the headlights, the cabin's walls looked white, and it took them a minute for their eyes to adjust.

"That'd be a good idea," Yami told her, "Yugi might call, and he'll panic if I don't answer the phone." Sami nodded, and Yami pulled out of the parking lot. The road was dark, as there were no streetlights; this was a fairly uninhabited road, winding directly into the mountains. Ryou hoped Malik was safe. He was headed that way. After a few moments passed, Sami looked over her shoulder at Ryou.

"Ready for college tomorrow?" she asked him, "After what we've been through, it might be tough going back there." Ryou nodded slowly, looking out the window. He didn't want to know what Shimbou might ask when he saw him again. If he did. Ryou was afraid he might've scared his best friend off.

"I'll be ready," he replied, "I just hope Shimbou's okay. That really freaked him out. If he's smart, he won't go around telling my fan club about it. That'll put you in a tough spot." He noticed with unease that Sami's eyes hardened at the mention of his 'fan club.' He paled, remembering that she didn't like to hear of it. Mainly because it troubled him so much during high school.

"You still deal with them," Ryou winced at the directness of her voice. She didn't need to question to know that he did.

"Sam, you might need to just set them on fire if you want them to leave him alone," Yami commented, and as they stopped at the first red light, he looked over and said, "Look who's here." Sami and Ryou both turned, and Ryou's mouth dropped. He recognized the women in the car next to them. They were his old classmates from high school, all six of them having been part of his fan club. Sami's ears stiffened in annoyance.

"I ought to kill them for this," she mumbled, "Want me to handle this, or do you want to give out some autographs?" Ryou mumbled an incoherent reply, and Sami took that as a 'handle it.' She climbed out of the car and walked over, a flat expression crossing her face. Ryou was intrigued to see that the girls, most of them, seemed happy to see her. The driver rolled down her window and flashed a smile.

"Evening, miss Winchester!" she called cheerfully, "I didn't think you'd be out tonight. You and Ryou on a date?" Ryou could feel Sami twitch in annoyance. Genuinely, the girls had always tried to be kind, but there was always a level of distrust Sami held for them. But she was composed enough to not show it. She nodded, but Ryou caught the stiffness.

"Not a date, really, but we went out to eat," Sami replied easily, "We decided to get outside. What of you? This is an interesting coincidence." The girl just smiled again, and pointed to the trunk, which was full of bags.

"We went to Ard to do some shopping," she replied, "New wardrobe before winter hits, and I wanted some things for our dorm." Sami just nodded. The girl examined her before asking, "Did you and Ryou want to hang out for a while? It's been a year, and we've been wondering if he's been okay. College can be brutal." Sami didn't doubt the genuine offer, but she shook her head nonetheless.

"We're on our way home," she told them, "And we're tired. Besides, we already have company." The girl's face fell, and most of her friends seemed equally as disappointed. Ryou just snorted, and feeling that it was rude not to speak with them, he got out of the car. As he did, he heard their pleas to her.

"Awww, please, miss Winchester?"

"We've missed you so much! You used to help us with our homework!"

"We won't bother Ryou, we promise!"

"Not even for a few moments?"

"Stop," Sami said sternly, and the girls fell silent, "I appreciate your offers, but we're otherwise engaged. Perhaps another day?" The driver nodded, with most of the girls agreeing. Ryou couldn't help but smile, just a little. He had been afraid, two years ago, that living with Sami would cause an upheaval between her and his club. But it had come to quite the opposite. Many of them were ecstatic to see that he was moving on, and vowed to help him keep his happiness. Unfortunately, it gravely annoyed Sami, especially since they began to follow her; she became some form of icon for them, and she didn't overly like it.

"We're sorry, miss Winchester," the driver said earnestly, "If you can this weekend, we'd love to see you! Even if Ryou doesn't want to come, please join us!" Sami just nodded. There wasn't much else she _could_ do. She simply found it ironic that she, who was dating Ryou, was _idolized_ by his fans. She had thought she'd be beating them away with her sword.

"I will try," she replied calmly. The driver nodded, and glanced at a movement behind Sami. Ryou had come up behind her, and he looked vaguely amused. He waved silently, and the girls waved back. Sami blinked, and turned to look at him.

"I think you're stealing my club," he joked with a grin, "Making plans?"

"You could say that," she replied calmly, grinning slyly herself, "Jealous?" The girls just giggled joyously, and even Ryou managed a snort. By that time, Yami had come to see what was up, but the driver noted the pale look on the spirit's face. She alerted Sami to it, and Sami turned to him. When she asked if he was all right, he pointed to the backseat of the car. Sami turned and saw one of the girls taking a picture of Ryou. Warily, Sami asked, "What the hell are you doing?"

"What's it to you?" the girl replied flatly, "I'm taking pictures." Sami's eyes narrowed to match the girl's tone.

"I see that, but why?" she inquired almost disinterestedly. Except that Ryou knew very well that this was exactly what bothered her. He just hoped the girl was smart enough to answer. As easy-going as Sami was, if she thought Ryou was in trouble, all hell broke loose because of it.

"Why not? We're fans, it's what we do," the girl reminded her, "Why? You wanted to see what we have?" Sami just raised a brow. In some way Ryou couldn't see, this almost amused her. But only because she found anything that opposed her amusing. She shook her head.

"Actually, I'm wondering how bad it is so I know what I can do to kill you and what's considered overkill," Sami joked, though everyone understood that she wasn't truly kidding, "I thought you stopped this when he left high school." The driver bit her lip. Most of them _had_, but some were more stubborn than that.

"Er… well…" the girl hesitated, "Before you get mad at me, just hear this out. There are others worse than I am, so if you're going to fight _me_, you're going to set off a war, miss Winchester. You really sure you want to do that?" Sami hummed in irritation. Of course this wasn't what she wanted to do. It was stupid. But what the girl said intrigued her. How worse off was she talking?

"…no one's stalking Ryou, are they?" she asked suspiciously. The girl with the camera shrugged, putting the camera down.

"That's the thing, we don't know," she replied curiously, "We found a site the other day asking a lot of questions about both you _and_ Ryou. We thought it was another girl from school, so we tried getting in touch with her. But she hasn't responded other than to ask for pictures. We thought that if she knew you, she'd answer, and I didn't think one picture would be bad." The girl noticed Sami had gone silent on her. She noted the look of worry crossing the older woman's face. Ryou glanced at Sami, but she didn't speak. Something was bothering her greatly now. She could handle Ryou being stalked; she knew many ways to dispatch a stalker. But when it involved both of them was when she knew something was wrong. She wasn't well-known in Domino City, and the only people who knew who she truly was were her friends, and Mystics. Her lips thinned gravely, and she turned to Ryou.

"You and Yami, get in the car," she told him, and turned to the girls, "No one's giving or taking any pictures of Ryou. I don't trust this site, whatever it is. I'd like to do some investigation, so if you could, I'd like your cameras to see what it is she's looking for." The girls all looked at each other, worry crossing their faces as well. Normally, they wouldn't hand their things over, but Sami's voice was absolutely terrifying to them. She seemed furious. The girl with the camera shook her head.

"We can't! Are you crazy?" she asked the older woman, "If we give you these, how're we going to know what you'll do? Miss Winchester, what the hell's wrong?" Sami growled. She didn't like having to rush to do things her way, but she didn't have time to explain. She reached through the window and took the camera quickly, the girl's mouth dropping open in protest. Sami held up one finger.

"Nothing you need to worry about as long as you don't speak with this girl again," she replied grimly, looking the camera over, "Hmm… 8-megapixels, Zoom x4 features, stability options… nice model. I'll get some clear results with this." Ryou just snorted. Sami seemed to be speaking to herself on that subject. The girl's eyes widened and she finally found her voice as she watched Sami.

"Miss Winchester, how _dare_ you take my camera this way!" she exclaimed, "Just what the…" She stopped as Ryou reached in and pulled out a bag, unzipping it calmly. He showed the contents to Sami: photos, notebooks of information, memory cards, and camcorders. Sami looked ready to faint. Ryou turned to them.

"Just how much of this were you going to post up?" he asked them in a deadening tone, one that, while calm, spoke only waves of anger, "What do you think you're doing? I might not know what's going on, but I'm not allowing this. Get rid of them." He dropped the bag to the ground, his eyes hardening just a little. He wasn't so sure to believe whatever it was that was bothering Sami. He stiffened when he felt her hand on his arm, and he looked over. Her skin had gone white. What was wrong with her?

"Ryou," Sami said calmly, "Get back in the car." There was something final, something definite, in the way she spoke. Ryou nodded, and went to join Yami, who'd already taken refuge into the car. Sami looked at the girls, and then down at the bag. She didn't want to do what she did next, but she had to keep them from giving any information on either her or Ryou away. She began to understand what was going on; the fact that the girl was even asking about _her_ tipped her off. Someone was looking for them. She smashed the bag, earning surprised cries from the girls, as well as from Ryou himself. She didn't look up as she smashed it again, her boot crunching on something plastic.

"_WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!?_" one of the girls cried, "Miss Winchester, what's going on!? We didn't mean to make you mad, but this…"

"Silence!" Sami demanded forcefully, and they all fell into quiet, "Listen to me, and listen well, because I hate to repeat myself. Someone is after both of us, and they're using you to get to us. They know you, and they know about your club. Do not speak to this woman, do not email her, do not even go to her site. I will investigate this further, myself, and alone. If you wish to help, you will call me, but do _not_ interfere, understood?" The depth of her anger ran so deep, that the driver's skin paled considerably. She looked ill, and she nodded. When she looked back, everyone in her car agreed, too.

"We understand," she squeaked in terror, "We'll call you when we get back to our place and give you what we know." Sami nodded, and was about to turn. Then she looked back and said one thing that made everyone wonder just what she was trying to imply.

"Fandom is no strength. It's the biggest weakness I've ever seen. Obsession… desire… it's a game to this woman, and she's using you as pieces. Stay away from any site for a while, unless you want to turn into a monster yourself," she said, and then she left them. Ryou watched her approach, and there was something much different to her demeanor. Something was very, very wrong. She normally never threatened anyone unless they made her mad, but she threatened those girls in a very passive way. But what for? She hadn't said much about what was wrong, and Ryou was concerned for her now. Then he remembered what she and Yami both said in the car. Was it a Mystic that got in contact with those girls? That was a scary thought to have.

"Sami, are you all right?" he asked her, as she climbed into the car. She shut the door, and didn't answer for a minute. Yami glanced at her carefully, and then drove off. She said nothing for several minutes, until they were well enough away from the girls. Then, she turned to Ryou.

"We're in trouble," she told him frankly, "We're in trouble, and I don't even know who's coming after us now. But someone's looking for us, and you were almost caught." Ryou blinked, trying to make sense of that answer. So he _was_ being stalked by someone. But whoever this someone was, it was scaring Sami. And that's what made him so worried. She never got scared unless they were up against magic. So then what were they dealing with?

"You think it's just a fan?" he asked her, "Or you think it's something else?" Sami just smiled slyly. He hated that. He knew the answer, and she didn't even have to say it. Flatly, he said, "It's a Mystic."

"I'm almost sure it is," she replied, "The question is, what proof do I have? She hasn't used anything to alert me to it, but how else would she be looking for _me_? I highly doubt humans are dumb enough to try assassinating a Chesier, though they do have those moments. But… if anything, I'm sure we're dealing with something that's not human. And if it is, it's lost its humanity." Ryou frowned slightly. That didn't really answer much of his question. Besides, people would try and kill Sami if they were crazy enough. Anything was possible. Sami _didn't_ have proof that it wasn't a human.

"You're going to have to explain this, because it's not making sense," he told her, "Why would a Mystic use _my fans_ to get to _you_?"

"Because it'll ultimately lead to _you_ as well," was the reply, "Do you remember what Katsaiga said, and what the man said to you? Do you remember the Zerrkandr? Ryou, outside of the scope of human power, you hold amazing abilities that _will_ be wanted by Mystics. If they kill me, you're unprotected. Normal fans wouldn't do anything like that, but this woman is actively seeking information. And what makes it worse, it's information your fans, who know you intimately through high school, cannot give them. They need to get closer to us just to meet this woman's needs. Doesn't that say anything to you?" Ryou hummed, looking down as he thought about Sami's answer. He could see why that would happen, but it'd been two years since he held Zerrkandr. Why such a long wait? He asked her this, and she said, "I can only wish I knew."

"Can you find where this Mystic is, then?" Ryou asked her, as the streetlights of the city swam in the distance. Sami, unfortunately, shook her head.

"Not possible. She hasn't used magic yet, and she's not going to give us information. The best I can do is get an IP address, and that's only if those girls can give me a site," Sami replied slowly, "And even then, it could lead anywhere. If it leads to a public area, our options would be boundless. We'd have to scour the entire city for a lead, and I doubt the police would find this worth their time. It's all about who moves next." Ryou frowned. That's what Sami meant when she said the woman was playing this like a game. But who was actually the woman's opponent? Ryou, or Sami? He had a good feeling it was Sami; after all, if this was a Mystic, they'd know she was a majority of the reason why they lost the last battle. Even if it wasn't a Mystic, Sami was much smarter than Ryou, and she understood her opponents much better than he did.

"So what's your move?" he asked her. She smiled again. He was finally beginning to understand it. She took out a tiny dagger from her pocket, an ornamental trinket, really, and began playing with it absently. Her smile never faded.

"My move," she echoed, "My move will be to wait and see what comes of it… _after_ I send out a message of my own to her." Ryou frowned again. He didn't like where this was going to head, and he wanted to know what Sami was thinking about doing. As much as he trusted her, there was something in her voice he really didn't like. She was hiding something from him, and he'd have to wait to see what it would be. And he hated waiting. Judging by Yami's expression, he was equally as disquieted by it. But neither of them would be talking Sami out of it. She was too damn stubborn. She was _always_ too damn stubborn.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

After a quiet dinner, and after acquiring information from Ryou's fans, Sami is now planning to investigate the matter of a potential stalker herself. But why is she so worried about this particular one? Were the girls put in danger? What will her next move be? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!


	8. Making her Move

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Takahashi does, and he liked my use of Ryou's fans. I did too. Makes them seem a little more important now.

The drive ended with silence as Ryou, Yami, and Sami walked into the house and locked the door. None of them would be leaving again that night, and with what Sami said, a little security wasn't a bad thing, no matter how peaceful this neighborhood was supposed to be. She quickly retired to her room, and Ryou could only guess at what she'd been doing in there. He and Yami had waited in the living room, but finally, he'd become tired of waiting. It was clear that, after an hour, she wasn't coming back down. Her answer concerning her next move wafted into Ryou's head again. He looked at Yami, who'd taken to reading one of his books. The spirit seemed completely unaware of what might've been happening. Ryou stood up suddenly.

"Come on," he said. Yami put the book down and quietly followed him up the stairs. It was unnervingly quiet, but as Ryou approached Sami's room, he heard fast typing on a keyboard. She was working diligently on something, and he peeked into the doorway to see. But he couldn't see much at all. She was directly in front of the screen. He went to leave, but he caught her head turning to look at him. He froze.

"Ryou, come here," she said sternly. Ryou shivered. She seemed absolutely pissed with something. He walked over, Yami trailing in silently. Sami turned back to the monitor, typing again. He watched the words on her email fly from her hands.

"What are you doing?" he asked her. She looked up at him gravely.

"Making my move," she replied calmly, "I'm going to meet this woman." Ryou's eyes widened as he stared at her in complete disbelief. Meeting a stalker! Of all the dumb things Sami could've done, this was the worst. That woman could've been insane, and Sami was walking right into her! He shook his head vigorously.

"Absolutely not!" he declared, "I won't let you go!" Sami just snorted in amusement, turning back to her screen to begin typing again.

"Let me? I'd love to see you stop me," she commented with a grin, "Besides, you need to relax. I know what I'm doing. I'm offering to meet her in a public place so nothing happens. Trust me, I know how to manipulate this battlefield for my favor. There's little time for something to go wrong unless she harms me on my way there. Which she can't do without Yugi noticing. Where I'm suggesting, he's near." That calmed Ryou down a little, for that meant Yami would be there, too.

"Where are you meeting her?" he asked her, his voice returning to its normal tone. Her grin faded slightly.

"Flamenco's," she replied stiffly, "At the very least, Pierre will be there. He won't let anything happen, and he already knows what I'm doing. He agreed." Ryou's eyes widened and he stared down at her again in disbelief. Just how many people was she going to involve in this!?

"You actually called him," he stated flatly. Sami nearly laughed at his tone. He was so sure, and technically, he was right. The only thing he didn't know was that Pierre offered to help her. Even if she'd been fired, Pierre knew loyalty when he saw it. He told her Flamenco's was the best place to meet. And she had agreed with him.

"I don't like to risk myself unless I know there's backup," she told him firmly, "As much as I'm skilled at battle, I'm a coward underneath it. I prefer to have others at my side in case shit hits the fan. And I'm worried this'll all go right to hell the moment I walk in." Ryou didn't blame her for worrying. People were downright insane sometimes. Unless Sami walked in with her sword drawn, she wouldn't have time to react if the woman knew who she was and aimed a dagger for the door when it opened. He was beginning to wonder if Sami would even make it.

"You're going with an alias, right?" he asked her, and to his dismay, she shook her head as she continued typing, "Sami…"

"She will not meet with anyone other than I," the woman replied seriously, "Ryou, think this through. Would she honestly trust someone she's never heard of? She'll show herself if I come in person." That wasn't enough of a reason for Ryou.

"What are you thinking!?" he blurted out in terror, "Sami, you're going to get yourself killed! We don't even know what she is! She might still be a human!" But as much as he tried, he couldn't dissuade Sami in the least. She raised a brow, sighing as she waited for him to stop. Only when he did, did she reply.

"And you want me to risk scaring her away with a fake name," she stated bluntly, and Ryou winced, "Ryou, I appreciate the worry, but boy, you need to understand how games work. She's using your fans and manipulating them to get to you, and she's asking for me, and you're going to assume she won't turn tail if she thinks for a second she's being set up. It'll save her time if I show up, and by the sound of it, she's not worried about what I can do."

"She's probably armed, is why," Ryou mumbled irritably. Sami just patted his arm as he took a seat next to her.

"You worry too much, my friend," she told him gently, "Trust me for once, okay? I might've been out of the battle scene for two years, but I'm not rusty yet. And I'm very good at these games. We have a stalker, that much is clear. And I'm going to stop her quickly before she _can_ hurt you. If she's armed, then I'll be, too." Yami finally looked at her incredulously, and he finally spoke for the first time since entering the house.

"You realize carrying weapons is illegal, right?" he reminded her. She actually laughed. Obviously, Sami had no concerns breaking that law; she carried a sword practically everywhere she went.

"Who said I'd be carrying _weapons_?" she asked him in response, and grinned, "Are you forgetting I have magic?"

"You're going to use _magic_!?" Ryou demanded angrily, "Damn it, Sami, no! Magic's what had those Mystics come after us before!" Sami's eyebrow rose again. Clearly, she wasn't seeing the same problems he and Yami were. She shrugged, turning back to her monitor.

"It's either that or I'm carrying knives," she told them both simply, "Besides, the use of magic will prove my suspicions even more. If she retaliates of defends against my spells in any way, she's not human. And if she burns, then we're out one stalker. Frankly, there's little risk here, so you'd do best to let me go on with my plan." Ryou was shocked by those words. She was seriously going to treat this like a battle. Not that he blamed her; seven years of sensing evil did that to someone, but this was a _stalker_. No threats had been made yet. He and Yami walked out, leaving Sami to type rapidly again. When they reached the halls, Yami turned to him.

"She's serious," he whispered, "She's going to find this person." Ryou just nodded, as they walked down the silent hall toward his room. He glanced back as the typing began to fade, but Sami didn't come to say goodnight or anything.

"What do you think of this?" he asked the spirit, as they reached his door. He opened it, smiling as he walked into the warm, bright room. It always washed away any worry he had, and it was working now. That was, until Yami spoke again.

"I think she might have reason to worry," the spirit replied, as Ryou sat on his bed, "This seems a bit too suspicious. The woman comes asking about you right after Sami is nearly killed by something neither of you know anything about, even to the point of how it got to Kaiba's. I'm looking at it sequentially, whereas Sami's looking at it tactically. It might not be related, but I'm not willing to overlook the two, either." Ryou sighed, shaking his head. He didn't want to deal with this sort of trouble. At least, not right then. He climbed into his bed.

"I'm going to sleep," he grumbled, "Goodnight, Yami." He heard Yami sit into a chair, but didn't bother to look over. He was too occupied to worry about where Yami would be sleeping. If the spirit was too uncomfortable, he'd just head downstairs to a couch.

"Goodnight," came the quiet reply. Ryou shut his eyes, praying his dreams would take his mind off his new problem. They didn't.

Morning came quickly, and it found Sami already awake and dressed as she stood in the bathroom, fixing the bonnet that went with her old uniform. She was going to Flamenco's to meet the woman, but there was a second motive she didn't share with Ryou: getting her job back, as well. And that meant donning the maid's uniform she'd come to love. She examined herself in the mirror carefully, her ears twitching underneath the bonnet. She adjusted her glasses, her expression stern.

"I never thought I'd be wearing this again," she said, and a snort behind her caused her to turn. The blonde man just grinned, giving her the thumbs-up.

"You look adorable, Sith," he commented, and then frowned, "Should we?" Sami nodded, and the man jumped out the window. She left the bathroom and went into the dark hallway, passing Ryou's door as she came to the stairs. She made an effort to go down silently, as to not wake Ryou up. If he heard her, he'd be pissed if he saw who she was traveling with. And she wanted to avoid that. Quickly, she went from the stairs and out the front door. The air was crisp, warm, and sweet, just perfect for September. She smiled as she heard a thud behind her.

"Nice day," she commented, as the blonde man straightened his jacket, "Remember the plan. You're following just to the entrance of the café. Nowhere else." The blonde man sighed, but nodded all the same. They walked down the street, turning right onto a bustling road. Already, people were lining up around shops and stands, waiting to buy and sell their wares. Sami ignored them all, though the blonde man eyed a gun shop almost hungrily. A quick glance at his cohort, however, made him pass it quietly. It took nearly twenty minutes to get to the road needed, and by that time, Sami was worrying she'd be back _after_ Ryou woke up, in which case he'd be pissed as to why she left without him. But the crowd began to thin, and soon, she saw Yugi's shop coming into view. She smiled, and the blonde man growled, pulling up his hood to mask his face. Yugi happened to be out, and he grinned when he saw her approaching.

"Good morning, Sami!" he exclaimed, turning the 'closed' sign to 'open,' "How are you?" Sami smiled and nodded, and Yugi looked at her companion. He shivered. The man was watching him very intently, and his good eye went from Yugi, to the store. But he said nothing.

"I'm fine," Sami replied calmly, "This is a friend. We're going to get my job back. Yourself?"

"Just opening the shop up to start the day!" Yugi replied cheerfully, "Grandpa used to say the best cure for drowsiness is to crack down and work hard. Sometimes, I miss him waking me up at five in the morning to polish the cards." Sami just chuckled as he led the two inside. The sunlight warmed the glass surfaces, which shined from Yugi polishing them. Yugi went to a picture of his grandfather, his face growing somber. Sami placed a hand on his shoulder as the man sat in a stool, watching them.

"I'm sorry you lost him," she said gently, "I regret that I couldn't heal him. With all my heart, I regret it." Yugi looked up at her and smiled warmly, shaking his head.

"Don't be upset with yourself. Magic can't save everything," he reminded her, and then said, "So… Flamenco's fired you? Why?" Sami's gentle look hardened, and Yugi heard a low growl issuing from her. But to his surprise, she didn't answer. The man laughed, his hand resting on the butt of his Winchester gun.

"Her boss is an idiot and doesn't remember how much staff he keeps," he replied simply, and Yugi saw just the faintest outline of a grin, "He decided that some bimbo with a double-digit IQ is much better than a _woman with magical power_, and fired her. And now, I'm going to kick his ass for it."

"Do that and _I'm_ going to kill you," she told the man sternly, and turned to Yugi, smiling, "He pretty much explained the basis of it. Yes, Pierre decided to fire me." Yugi whistled as he took out a card and dusted it off before replacing it back within its case. Sami's nose twitched as she smelled a light, lemon scent.

"That _is_ a stupid idea," Yugi commented after a moment, "But why bring _that_ guy?" He pointed to the blonde man, who was looking out the window at a group of kids playing in a playground, "Why not Ryou?" Sami's lips thinned. She didn't want to tell Yugi that she didn't exactly trust Ryou. Not that he didn't know that; Ryou wasn't reliable in confrontations, and he was prone to embarrassing himself.

"Ryou's asleep," she said, which technically wasn't a lie, "Besides, this _guy_ offered to come. I'd have taken Yami, but he'd tell Ryou about it, and I don't want that boy to know what happened." Yugi frowned. He didn't like lying to his friends, and this had to be pretty bad if Sami was willing to fool Ryou over it. She felt, among everything else, that honesty was the most important aspect of a person's life. So, it was ironic that she was lying to Ryou now.

"…Sami, are you and Ryou okay?" Yugi asked her suddenly. Sami looked at him curiously, and he added, "You seem kind of distant today. Did something happen?" Sami looked away for a second. Technically, nothing happened, but she wasn't lying when she called Ryou out on staring at that waitress. And it bothered her. Not enough to make a deal of it, but enough for her to not want to speak with him for a while.

"…no," she replied at length, "I just don't feel he's the best partner in this situation, that's all." Yugi blinked slowly, not sure if he should believe that, but he didn't argue. It wasn't truly his business, and Yami would tell him if something really bad happened. The blonde man finally stood up, tapping Sami on the shoulder and jerking a thumb to the front door.

"As much as I like chatting, babe, we need to get going," he told her, and Yugi raised a particularly concerned brow at him calling her 'babe,' "Flamenco's opens soon, and I want to be good and drunk if this bitch of yours is going to come armed." Sami's eyes narrowed flatly, and Yugi's eyes simply widened in disbelief. _This_ was the partner she'd be taking? A rough-talking, offensive, _alcoholic_ gunman!? Yugi looked at Sami. She seemed completely sane, albeit a little annoyed now. But she nodded and walked to the door.

"Get yourself drunk and I'm leaving you in a dumpster," she threatened, and turned to Yugi, "Wish me luck. I'll call later with the details." Yugi nodded, and waved as she opened the door and departed into the street. The blonde man grinned, clicked his gun, and left with her.

"Have fun storming the castle!" Yugi called after them, and then his voice was lost as the door swung shut. The crowd had grown since Sami had gone in; it was almost impossible to get through, and the only reason they did was because the blonde man took his pistol and aimed a shot straight into the sky, scaring everyone away from them. When Sami glared, he just grinned and told her it was how _he_ handled traffic… if his friend didn't mow them down with a muffin cart first. Sami just shook her head, and turned onto the road leading to Flamenco's. She stopped suddenly, and frowned. Was this even worth her time? If she needed money, she really could just go to the ESB and work for them. But she hated them. She took a deep breath, her fists clenching. Flamenco's was in view.

"…I need this job," she told herself, and then turned to the man, "Wait here." He nodded, and took out his gun, looking for a victim to scare while she was gone. She walked through the doors confidently, until her eyes actually took in what she saw. Then, she stopped dead in her tracks. Her eye twitched in anger. She looked to the sign to see if she even walked into the right place; to her horror, what she was in was definitely Flamenco's. But instead of it looking like a nice café, it now looked like a love lounge. The booths and stools had all been replaced with leather seating, and each table was adorned with a red cloth and roses. Neon hearts hung in rows on the ceiling, and there was an acrid smell of perfume and incense that made Sami want to vomit. If she hadn't been in her beloved maid's outfit, she would have. She could feel her wings shaking in rage. Someone was going to die today.

"_PIERRE!_" she yelled, storming further in, "_Get out here, you son of a bitch!_" A mousy man with a wiry mustache and a purple suit came running out at the sound of her voice, and he beamed when he saw her. Stopping before her, he bowed.

"Ah, mademoiselle! A pleasure, truly!" he exclaimed happily, "How are you? Tre magnific?" Sami's eyes narrowed flatly again. She wasn't about to chatter with this man. Her breath came out in a heavy sigh as her eyes roamed the scene again.

"What in the seven levels of frozen hell happened here?" she demanded, "What, did your contractor _die_ or something?" One of the customers behind her snorted, but no one answered. Pierre stepped back, shocked by the question. Obviously, he hadn't expected her to come so angrily. He smiled nervously.

"It's the _new_ Flamenco's!" Pierre replied, but Sami sensed the hesitation to him, "Do you not like it?" Sami hummed. This was bad. Pierre was scared of something, but she didn't know what. Nor could she agree. She wasn't going to lie for this place, or for whoever did it. Getting her job back was officially crossed off her list now. She shook her head.

"It offends me to the highest degree," she answered, "Pierre, who the hell did this?" Pierre's lips thinned. For a second, Sami saw his mask of cheeriness falter. Her eyes hardened, and he swallowed hard. Then, he looked around quickly before leaning closer to her. He didn't want anyone else listening to him.

"Amber did," he whispered frantically, "Miss Sami, I beg of you, you must…" Pierre yelped, and Sami looked up and turned around. Amber, the girl who had replaced Sami, had shown up. Sami's eyes narrowed. That was _too_ coincidental. And it was too disastrous, too. Right then, Sami was sure if she didn't leave soon, she'd kill the girl before her. Amber's already red hair had become even more so; Sami wasn't so sure the girl hadn't fried her hair to a crisp during dying it. Her face was covered with thick makeup. But, what truly offended Sami was the uniform: it was nothing more than a leather bustier with a short, leather skirt. Her eyes widened in horror, and now she was _really_ glad she hadn't brought anyone inside with her. They'd have run off in terror. Which was something she now considered doing.

"Welcome to Flamenco's," Amber said to her, sneering just a bit at the sight of Sami's attire, "What's you… ah, pleasure?" Sami's tail whipped under her own skirt. By the tone, Amber didn't look too highly on her right then.

"Pleasure? Between murdering you and setting this hellhole on fire, I'm really not sure which one takes precedence," the older woman replied, "Right now, I'm just wondering what the hell happened to the furniture. You know, the shit that actually made this place _look_ good?" Amber perked a confused brow. Obviously, she thought the café looked just dandy. To a whore, it would. She shrugged.

"I threw them all away," she replied, "They were wasting space." Sami's slender brow rose only fractionally.

"I see something wasting space, but it certainly wasn't the furniture," Sami mumbled, and then said, "What the hell do you take this place for? This is a business, not some sick, little game for a brat like you. I have half a mind to call someone down and have the place condemned, it's so damn distasteful." Pierre looked at the woman nervously, and Amber looked ready to have a stroke. She grabbed Sami's wrist, and for once, Sami actually winced. The brat had more strength than she thought.

"You… _BITCH!_" Amber screamed, "I'm _saving_ this rat hole! It's a wreck!"

"You? Saving it? Really, sweetheart?" Sami asked her, almost mockingly, "Because if _I_ came here to eat, I'd leave. I'd get my friends to leave. I'd even get the homeless man living in the alley out back to leave before I thought about eating here, where I'd have to be subjected to a snot like you." Pierre snorted and turned away, and this time, Amber lost it. Her blue eyes widened in hatred as she let Sami's wrists drop. Then, she pointed an accusing finger at the older woman.

"A snot like… _WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE_!?" Amber screamed, "You're just jealous because Pierre hired a hottie like me and _fired_ an old hag like _you_!" Pierre stared at Amber in terror, and Sami's face contorted. At first, Pierre was worried she'd resort to physical force; that was easily her biggest advantage, because even an armed man didn't stand a chance against her. But to his extreme surprise, Sami just laughed. She laughed so hard, she was ready to cry. And when she recovered, a dark look crossed her face as she stepped closer to Amber. She wasn't ready for a battle; she was ready for an onslaught.

"Me? Jealous of _you_? Don't flatter yourself, you don't have half the IQ I possess," she said casually, and turned to Pierre, "Tell me about this new direction of yours, Pierre. Do the regulars that _use to come_? Do they come here still? Do they?" Pierre blinked, thinking back to a time when his customers had been of the respectable sort, when his café itself oozed of upper class and art. He frowned.

"…no, mademoiselle, zey do not come any longer," he replied slowly, "When zey heard zat you were fired, zey left in utter outrage! 'How could you?' zey would ask, 'Zat girl, zat beauty, she reeks of class and intelligence!' I tell you, it was a terrible mistake!" Sami sighed slowly, not in the mood to hear words of praise about her own character. She appreciated it, but it wasn't the best time.

"Then who comes here, sir?" she asked, a bit more calm than before. Pierre opened his mouth to speak, but Amber beat him to it. And Sami wished she hadn't.

"Hot guys. And guess what? They all think I'm sexier than you," the girl replied confidently. Sami's brow rose again, just ever so slightly. Whether she was amused or unchallenged, Pierre wasn't sure. He just knew now that he lost her. He was so close to getting his best employee back, and he lost her.

"Then I pray to the gods themselves that those men are blind," she stated simply, and turned back to Pierre, "Well, sir, I came to get my job back, but I'm sure this is about the last place I'd go to, just short of hell. You'd be safer shutting the place down, but if you insist on continuing on, best of luck, and I'll see you when you apply for a bank loan." With that, she turned and stormed out. Pierre watched her, stunned as he was by the bluntness of her voice and the truth to her words. He really would have to shut the place down soon; Amber had lost all of their customers in just a few days, and her new renovations had cost him most of his money. He sighed, not listening as Amber stored away in a huff.

"Mademoiselle… I beg of you, save my life," he whispered, taking off his chef's hat and clutching it. Right then, right there, he watched the one person who could save him from this nightmare leave. He regretted every second since he fired her.

---

Ryou woke up slowly, stiffly, as a ray of sun spilled from the window onto his pale face. His eyes opened, and he glanced sideways at the clock. It was just after nine in the morning now. Slowly, he sat up and rubbed at his eyes. Last night, he barely got any sleep. The thought of Sami facing a stalker kept him awake for hours, and then the remembrance that things weren't going quite as well as he wanted with her just made getting to sleep nearly impossible. He turned to the windowsill, and saw Yami had pretty much collapsed on it. He snorted, shaking his head.

"Good night, Yami," he whispered, and got himself dressed before heading to the hall and toward Sami's door, "Sami? Are you up?" He received no answer, and he knocked. But again, she didn't come out. This time, he was bold and just let himself in. An empty room greeted him, and he cursed. Sami had left without him! Rushing downstairs, he ran out the door and down the road. He knew where she had gone: Flamenco's. And he wished to all hell that she hadn't. He wished she waited for him. But she must've still been upset, even if she hadn't shown it at the time. Flamenco's came into view, and Ryou barely noticed the changes it went through before he burst through the front door, screeching to a halt in front of the girl who cost _his_ girl her job. He twitched.

"Hello, baby, looking for a good time?" Amber asked suggestively. Ryou twitched again, and in a feat that could only come from Indiana Jones' descendant, he leapt over Amber, swinging on one of the neon hearts, and landing right through the window into the kitchen. Pierre looked up in shock. Then, he smiled when he recognized Ryou.

"May I help you, monsieur Bakura?" Pierre asked, perking an eyebrow. Ryou searched the kitchen with one look. Sami wasn't there, either. He turned to Pierre and grabbed the man's collar.

"Where is Sami?" he demanded quickly, "_Tell me!_" Pierre, unable to understand just what was wrong, pointed out the window and down the alley in the back. He explained that Sami and her friend were heading elsewhere that way, but Ryou barely heard as he rushed out the back door after her. He didn't have to go far; she hadn't made it far before three men stood in her way. And next to her was the blonde man. Damn it, Ryou wanted to kill him. But for now, he focused on Sami. She was speaking.

"I'll tell you once more: Let us pass or you'll taste steel," she said, her hand resting idly on her sword. Despite her threat, she only seemed mildly annoyed. The three men smiled, and one took out a lute. Ryou raised a brow. This looked familiar, but he couldn't tell why. Not that he got the chance. The blonde man turned, and his good eye narrowed as he saw Ryou.

"Well, well, well," he said lowly, "Look who showed up for you, Sith." Sami turned, and now she just looked angry. Ryou really couldn't see why. What the hell had he done that was so wrong, anyway!?

"Ah! An audience! How splendid!" one of the three said, "For we like those. We are the Bards Three, Eric, Derek, and Jimmy D.! We mean no harm to this fair lass, whose eyes portray of utmost class! We just wish to sing, to tell a tale, and if you would like, we'll buy you some ale!" Ryou wondered if Sami would take the offer, what with her affinity for alcohol. But she didn't. She turned to them once again, her ears flattening in irritation. Obviously, this day wasn't going her way.

"Shut up," she growled, "And move your asses before I light them on fire."

"Do you not like our singing?" the second bard asked, his eyes watering. Sami's eyes narrowed flatly.

"No, I don't," she told them, and the bards gasped. The blonde man laughed… until a loud gunshot pierced the air. Ryou screamed, but not from the noise. The bullet had hit Sami squarely in the chest, and she collapsed. Ryou glared at the blonde man, but he was currently _loading_ his gun. He wouldn't have the time to shoot her without her noticing. When he looked up, he saw Sami was being dragged, and he shot with his pistol. The sound bounced off the walls, and then he was gone, pursuing whoever had assaulted Sami. Ryou cursed furiously, and turned to the bards, who were cowering in terror.

"What the… who the… who shot at her!?" he demanded, his voice threatening to break in absolute horror. But, the man had no answers. Ryou let him go and rushed down after the blonde man. He _must've_ seen who shot her! Then, Ryou stopped, remembering what the girls the night before had said. They had a stalker following them. Sami was going to meet this person. And now Sami had been shot. The stalker knew exactly where she was. But how? Ryou shook his head. Sami might be dead if he didn't move it, so he ran down, becoming acutely aware of the state of this part of town. Garbage was piling along the walls, and the buildings were looking ramshackle and decrepit, some sagging from neglect. And further, he saw remnants of a train. No, of many trains. He was heading toward an abandoned train yard.

"…Sami? Are you down here?" he called, wondering why anyone would drag her here. Were they going to leave her and hope she wasn't discovered? Obviously, they hadn't counted on the blonde man, but as Ryou carefully picked his way through, he realized that there was no sign of _him_, either. And he hadn't gotten that far ahead. Ryou sighed, laying a hand on the side of a broken car. Then he pulled away. It felt sticky; when he looked, he saw his hand was covered with blue blood. Sami was severely injured.

"Sami!" he yelled, but received no response. This was terrible. He looked around, and saw that lots of blood had been spilled: blue, black, and red blood. He felt sick. Someone must've died. He had to get away and tell Yami what happened. He ran as fast as he could down the path, stumbling up the stairs. He didn't even care as he rushed out onto a nicer, much nicer part of the city, leaving the underground wreck behind. Yugi's shop was close, and while he didn't want to frighten the poor boy, he had to alert someone that Sami was missing. He burst through the doors.

"_Yugi!_" Ryou yelled, "Yugi, I need your phone! I need to call someone!"

"Hold on, Ryou," Yugi called. But that wasn't good enough. Ryou shook his head. Sami was going to die, and he had no idea where the hell she was. He stormed into the living room. He didn't have the time to explain, but _someone_ needed to be brought up to speed.

"Yugi, Sami was just," Ryou began, and then stopped dead in his tracks. Yugi was bandaging someone's arm, sponging blue blood off carefully, and that someone was Sami. She looked pissed as hell, but otherwise, she didn't seem to notice that she was _shot_. Ryou's eyes widened as he said, "What the _HELL_!? You're supposed to be dead!"

"Nice to see you too," came the flat reply, "You sound like you want me dead." Ryou looked down. He certainly didn't, but someone else did. And he lost sight of that someone.

"What happened!?" he asked her, collapsing into a chair. Sami winced as Yugi tightened her bandage, and then gave her arm a firm pat. She looked at Ryou.

"After I was shot, whoever attacked me tried to drag me to the abandoned train yard underground, thinking I'd never be discovered. My friend followed and tried to stop her as we reached the site," she told him shakily, "But… I don't know what happened after that. I saw… nothing."

"The blonde man carried her back and left her here, but he said he had unfinished business and left before I could patch him up," Yugi added, "I called Yami. He's coming down to see what he could do." Ryou didn't see what the spirit would've done, but he didn't object. Yami could treat Sami if she passed out again. He turned back to her, his face pale with worry.

"Thank the gods you're even alive!" he declared, and reached over to hug her. She patted his back, and laughed heartily. When he let go, he was greeted with a confident grin.

"It's going to take more than a single bullet to bring _this_ 'old hag' down," she told him. He blinked, wondering where the 'old hag' came from, but she didn't answer on it. Instead, she looked away, and seemed distant as she stared at nothing in particular. Ryou looked to Yugi, but he shrugged with worry. Sami must've been like this for most of her time here. Ryou just let out a sigh. She had a right to be. She was nearly killed, and who knew what happened to the blonde man? Ryou's eyes narrowed. He'd have to do something about this. He just wasn't sure what it was yet. And he hoped Yami would have answers.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

After storming Flamenco's, Sami decides she doesn't need her job and promptly leaves with the blonde man to go elsewhere. But who attacked her and dragged her off, and why was she left for dead? Was it the stalker? And will Ryou be attacked next? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!


	9. Just a Bad Storm

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Takahashi does, and he doesn't think Ryou should be allowed to own a gun.

The three of them waited in silence until Yami had come, and in that time, Ryou hadn't gotten Sami to say much of anything about before the attack. He _tried_, but she just didn't answer. Something was really bothering her, but she didn't speak on it. Ryou's lips thinned, and he wished he knew what she was thinking. Was she worried the stalker would come back? Was she worried they'd go for Ryou next time? Or… was she worried about the blonde man? Ryou saw a lot of red _human_ blood. There was enough for whatever wound the man got to be fatal. He wasn't sure if he liked that or not. Finally, Yami spoke to Sami. If anyone could make her speak, it was him.

"Sami?" he called calmly, "Are you all right?" Sami blinked slowly, and shook her head as she turned to him.

"No," she replied at length, "…something feels very wrong here." Then she looked away again. Ryou looked at Yugi, and then at Yami. They seemed just as stumped at her reply as he was. He turned back to Sami, who took off her glasses to absently clean them.

"…how so?" he asked gently, "Sami, what feels wrong?"

"This attack. It doesn't feel right," she told him, and when he gave her a skeptical look, she said, "The gunner wasn't a bad shot. She had a lot of time to aim, and her mark was perfect. She purposely made sure not to get my heart. She wanted me to suffer. And she wanted that man to follow. There's something… deeper to this. Ryou, this isn't about you or your high school days at all." Ryou blinked quickly. He hadn't thought it was, but seeing as how the woman had used _his high school fans_ to find him, he couldn't be too sure. But the way Sami spoke… she must've sensed something during the frenzy. But what was it? He held one of her hands; it felt so cold.

"Sami, what's it about?" he asked her, "The Mystic? You still think it's a Mystic?"

"I don't know," she replied quietly, looking at the table, "She should've used magic if she was. But she nearly killed me regardless. And her blood… it was black. Black blood only comes from evil. Ryou, I fear we're in danger again, my friend." Ryou sighed. That part, he already guessed. He hadn't wanted to, but he did. After all, Sami did say at one time that there were six Mystic lords. He'd only dealt with one. Another one must've come for them again.

"Danger?" Yugi repeated nervously, "Like… like last time? Where we all got killed in one shot?" Sami's eyes softened, and she nodded slowly. There was something to her movement that Ryou didn't feel was right. She seemed scared.

"Not quite so, but similar, yes," she replied, and shivered, "Right after I lose my job, this surfaces. I don't think it's mere coincidence." Ryou bit his lip as he held her hand, and Yami just looked away, not wanting to agree. Yugi looked at her suddenly, and frowned. She had, after all, told him she'd call with the details. Not getting her job back was one of them.

"You didn't get it back?" he asked curiously. Sami just snorted. To her, that was the least of her worries now. But she could see why Yugi was concerned. This morning, it was. How quickly things change, she silently mused.

"No, and I don't want it back," she said shortly, "If I had to choose between torching the place and going to jail, or working there for even a second, for over a million dollars, I still might just risk prison to see the damned place burn." Ryou just snorted. He had seen the place for himself, and he was in agreement. Watching Sami burn things was amusing, anyway. Yugi didn't know that, though, for he tilted his head in wonderment.

"It's that bad?" he asked her. She nodded, her eyes going flat.

"If I was a prostitute, I might think of going there," she replied airily, "But I'd have to be heavily tanked before I stumbled there. And I'd probably have to be dead, too. Damn place is as bad as a Grand Theft Auto game: dirty, dingy, and no morals." Yami's eyes widened now as he looked at Sami in complete and utter disbelief. Ryou would've laughed at the expression, except that it wasn't entirely funny.

"And you thought to go _back_?" the spirit asked quietly, incredulously. Yugi didn't even get that far before he burst out in terror.

"_YOU WERE GOING TO WORK IN A WHORE-HOUSE?!_" he exclaimed frantically, his eyes widened with tears, "Sami, _NO_! Work in Burger World if you're that desperate, but don't go _there_! _We_ love you! We won't lose you to _THEM_!" He practically leapt over the table and hugged Sami possessively, and she chuckled, patting his head. She shook her head and sighed, as though dealing with an overly needy child. And in some ways, Yugi was like that.

"No, Yugi, you won't lose me to some harlot," she replied calmly, almost amused, "If you do, it's because I'll be _killing_ her. And trust me, I know one I'd like to murder right now." Ryou just snickered again. He knew exactly who she was talking about, and he had almost considered taking a knife from the kitchen in the café and planting it in Amber's back. Out of mutual respect for Pierre, he didn't; Flamenco's didn't need to be known for becoming a crime scene. Yami looked over at Sami carefully. He was considering something, Ryou saw, but he just didn't know what. Then, the spirit spoke.

"I think you should work here, with us," he told her seriously. There was no argument to be made, and no question in his voice. He _expected_ her to do as he said. Maybe that was why they were such good friends. Sami respected that. She smiled slyly, and he replied likewise. Yugi just beamed. Obviously, the thought of working with Sami, despite how grumpy she was, was a boon to him.

"Yeah! You can even live here if you wanted! It'd sure make getting to work a lot easier," he said, and Sami just laughed, "It'll suck for Ryou, but it'll be fun! Besides, I can pay you! Er… well, I'm _pretty sure_ I can pay you! What do you say?" Sami just ruffled his hair. Under _those_ conditions, there really was only one thing she could say. She said yes.

"Consider the job taken," she said, and then added, "Though the living here part won't happen. I like Ryou a little too much to just abandon him." Ryou nodded, and she heartily gave him a firm pat on the back. He shrugged. Even if she was tiring of him romantically, she would at least be a very close friend, and that seemed good enough for him. At least right then. But he made a mental note to try and figure out where things were beginning to go wrong. And he'd have to do it soon, for his hand accidentally banged against the ring in his pocket. Silently, he cursed. He wished he'd stop bringing it everywhere he went. Just as he shook his hand, something banged on the door. Sami jumped from the noise, and Yami looked at the door curiously. They weren't expecting visitors, and Yugi had closed the shop when Sami had been brought in. He walked over to the door silently, but didn't open it. After what just happened, he had to be careful. For Sami's sake, at least.

"Pharaoh, it is I, Shadi. We must speak," came a calm voice. Yami frowned. Something was wrong for Shadi to show up, especially unannounced. He opened the door, and was further disturbed to see that Ishizu joined him. Whatever this was, it was going to be serious. He stepped aside to let them in, and they walked right into the living room. Sami seemed equally as perturbed as Yami was. She stood.

"What is it?" she asked quickly, almost sharply. Ryou began to wonder if she knew why they were even here.

"We have terrible news. Our items have reacted to a strong magical force within the city, and it's moving quickly," Shadi told them all, and Sami's ears lowered, "We cannot trace what it is, but it feels similar to your magic, miss Winchester. Do you have the crystal on you?" Sami nodded, and took it out of her pocket. She handed it to him with such ease, Ryou was certain she had expected this. What did she know that he couldn't see? Was that why she was shot? Had she actually discovered something last night?

"Yes. I haven't used it, and I never plan to," she replied, and then said grimly, "The magic you feel is from a Mystic. I'm not entirely surprised, either. It looks like I was right about this, Ryou." She glanced at the pale boy as she spoke, and Ryou shivered. He hadn't wanted to believe she was right, but now he had no choice. The two incidents really were connected. But just how did they find him? Or Sami, for that matter? She had made sure she was off any and all inter-world records. Shadi seemed concerned, though, as he took the crystal. Obviously, he didn't know everything there was to know, either. He gave Sami a questioning stare.

"What were you right about?" he asked her sternly, his tone unyielding. Sami turned from Ryou, to him, and put her glasses on. Then she urged the two visitors to sit.

"Last night, Ryou, Yami, and I went out to eat, and we discussed the events of the previous two days, concerning that crystal," she told them both, "I concluded, and the crystal confirmed, that what we're dealing with is indeed a Mystic. Who, we don't know, but we know _what_. That's a start, at the very least. Later last night, we discovered that someone is stalking Ryou. I headed out this morning to meet them, and after leaving the designated space, to which they didn't arrive on time, I was shot and nearly killed. I've no reason to believe this was coincidence." Ryou just frowned. Put that way, it was no wonder Sami had seemed so sure of her answer. It all happened way too quickly, in too much of a consecutive order. The crystal had been a warning; the shot was the threat. If Sami was struck again, the third step was death. Ryou was sure of it. That sort of logic made him wonder if she was that willing to die. She hadn't even flinched when she explained what happened to him. Shadi and Ishizu glanced at each other in terror, and then looked back at Sami. Something else was wrong.

"She was shot," Ishizu whispered to Shadi, "Was there even a reason to come here? Do you think she may already know?" Shadi turned to look at Sami. She was staring at them critically, almost boring into their backs with how intense she was. Ryou knew it was scaring them.

"…we will soon see," he replied quietly, and said, "We've said we felt powerful magic, and quite obviously you have confirmed it. But just how much do you know? How much of a lead do you think you have?" Ryou didn't like the tone Shadi was using, and it was apparent that Sami didn't, either. It was almost as though he didn't even believe them. Never mind the bandages on Sami's shoulder and back. Sami hesitated for a moment. Not because she didn't have anything to show, but because Shadi's skepticism unnerved her. Unlike Ishizu, he didn't seem prepared to cooperate with her.

"Enough of one for me to say with certainty that someone wanted me dead," she replied grimly after a moment, "As for leads, we don't have them. But we don't need them for right now. _Someone_ wants me dead, and even if it isn't a Mystic, the crystal was in control of one, and that person may have controlled my attacker as well. I will go looking for them as soon as I recover." Ryou looked at her as though she'd lost her damn mind. And Shadi looked ready to just get up and leave. Obviously, a hunch really wasn't good enough for him. It didn't help that he didn't trust Sami in the least, either. He tapped the arm of his chair with uncertainty.

"You'll need to do better than that to convince me that you have this under control," he said sternly, his blue eyes glinting in the light from the lamp behind him, "From the sound of it, you do not even have your own facts straight. I recommend some rest, and to let me deal with this threat." Sami's eyes widened. She definitely wouldn't be doing that if she could avoid it. But something in the man's voice told her she'd also be hard-pressed to disagree. And if there was one thing she hated, it was following orders.

"Absolutely not!" she exclaimed, as Ryou asked, "Why would you take charge of _her_ investigation?"

"Whatever that crystal housed before you fought it, it literally ripped open a tear from our world into the void of space we live in," Ishizu explained gently, almost quietly, "If we do not stop it, our world will fall into the darkest depths of chaos and madness we've ever experienced within our history. Magic from this void will seep in and life as we imagine will cease to exist." Ryou blinked, and looked down at Sami. She seemed tense from the description, and Ryou saw she mouthed the word 'Oblivion' to him. He frowned as Shadi continued.

"Chesiers and the few Espers we have living in this world are scared. When this void becomes involved, it becomes their job to fix the void. But this time, they're concerned it's too big for the ESB to begin to handle," Shadi added seriously, "And if that's the case, we're worried that such a flow of unfettered power will begin to corrupt the magicians and shamans we have here. Miss Winchester, we don't want to involve you now, especially if you've been assaulted already. You may very well be the prime target, considering that you've already slain one Mystic." Ryou risked another glance at Sami. She didn't seem the least bit daunted by that fact. He knew she expected as much. She merely crossed her arms, putting one leg on Yugi's coffee table.

"So now the ESB is running scared, eh?" she commented, and snorted, "Bastards. If they've known about this, and I actually died, there's going to be hell to pay, especially concerning my sister. As to my not being involved, I'm afraid that one's inevitable, so why don't you just tell me what _you_ know and I'll find the lead you want later. How's that?" Ryou could've laughed. Her frankness toward this was amusing, considering that she nearly died for it. Ishizu smiled oddly, clearly both intrigued and a little worried about how calmly Sami was taking this turn of events. She looked to Shadi, and a quick nod from the man told her it was safe to proceed. She swallowed.

"What we know is that there's a huge distortion of power on the peak of Mt. Domino. We're not entirely sure, but a look in the ESB records shows that there's an Esper that lives there," the woman explained, and Sami nodded, "It may know what's going on, but if the distortion's caused damage… it may be in danger." Sami finally frowned. That was enough to dissipate any confidence she had for this. Her arms uncrossed.

"Tell me it isn't dead," she said flatly. Ryou's lips thinned, wishing sometimes that Sami took things a little more seriously. Shadi shook his head.

"No, but it may be in mortal danger if this disturbance is not stopped," he told her calmly, his voice softening, "From what we gather, this type of distortion and energy waves might lead to premature dementia. In a human, that's bad. In an Esper or any similar creature, it's much, much worse." Sami's frown worsened. Her eyes dimmed just slightly, and at first, she shook her head. Then, she sighed.

"…what form of distortion are we talking about?" she asked slowly, grimly, "Do you mean the world will visibly shift? Or is it merely on an energetic level?"

"This, we do not know," Ishizu said sadly, "For now, it appears to be energetic. But it may become physical. Magic morphs and jumps when its power increases, so it may simply be in a dormant state, like a storm that builds momentum." Sami nodded absently, considering Ishizu's words extremely carefully. That was exactly what might've been happening, and it'd explain why there had been no attacks for two years. What, if anything, were those Mystics planning to do? She stood up, the table shaking from how fast she had moved.

"I'm going to this mountain and looking into it," she said firmly, her tone definite, "No way in hell that I'm letting these Mystics screw us over again." Ryou's eyes widened and he reached for her arm, gasping when she pulled away. She didn't want him stopping her.

"Y-your memory's at risk, Sami!" he cried, "You've already lost it once, right? You can't lose it again!" Sami just smiled warmly at Ryou. That part was true enough; she knew nothing about herself, and even her childhood _in this world_ was getting foggy. But that wouldn't stop her. She gave Ryou a firm pat on the head.

"That's just a risk I'll have to take, kiddo," she said easily, a bit too much so for his comfort, "Besides, do you really think losing my mind's going to stop me?" Ryou just hummed in annoyance. He _wanted_ to say that losing her mind could lead to death, and death would probably stop her, but he didn't. There was always a chance not even death itself would keep _Sami_ down. At least, not for too long. He just sighed and threw his arms up in surrender. Ishizu chuckled, and then she became much more serious again.

"Miss Winchester, I urge you to take extreme caution in this position," she warned gently, "This power surge has been building for some time. Even with your strength, you will be hard-pressed to stop it." Sami's eyes narrowed as she heeded Ishizu's warning. She didn't need it to know the danger, but she heeded it nonetheless. So, the storm started a while ago. She just smirked. That was just too damn convenient to her.

"Storm, eh? Probably means someone's behind it, then," she growled grimly, her ears lowering, "Magical storms can't brew unless there's some source of power behind it. Looks like someone's _definitely_ looking for something. I just don't know what yet…" She looked down. No matter what way they came after her or Ryou, she just couldn't figure out what their attacks meant. Surely, it couldn't have been about either of them. And yet, they had been targeted specifically. She sighed and said, "The only way to know is to get up there." Ryou looked at her solemnly, neither happy nor disapproving of her choice.

"You're not going alone," he said firmly, "I'm heading out, too." Sami just laughed. He _tried_ to sound tough, but if she really fought with him, he'd back down. He was lucky. She didn't feel like arguing right then. She patted his back and gave an encouraging smile.

"I wouldn't have it any other way, my friend," she said heartily, and looked over at Yami, "You coming, Yami?" He nodded, grinning slyly as Yugi stood up.

"Definitely!" Yugi exclaimed, as Yami said, "If magic's threatening our world, it's best if we band together. We don't know what they could be looking for this time." Sami nodded. That was true. It was uncomfortably true. She had absolutely no idea why they'd go after _Espers_, let alone her. She shifted in her seat a little, and bit her lip. Explaining the next part to them might shake their confidence in traveling with her. And while she wouldn't blame them, some company on the trip sounded nice. She didn't want to travel into danger alone again.

"I guess it's a bad time to tell you that if they're looking for me to die, I won't want to use my magic nearly as much as normal," she said slowly, and Yugi's confidence did fall, "No doubt that someone found me because of the magic I used yesterday. Until we have some clue as to what's going on, magic might kill me. Now then…" She looked once more at Ishizu, who seemed much more willing to help her than Shadi was, "Is there anything else you'd like to tell me before we throw ourselves to an early grave?" Ryou snorted. Sami sounded confident, but she must've doubted their chances as much as he did. She normally never joked about death. Ishizu's face paled just a little. She knew this about Sami, as well. Slowly, the woman nodded. There was a tone of nervousness to her.

"I've alerted Seto Kaiba and Rex Raptor of this situation as well," she stated, and Sami stared at her, "Rex has recently gone into the paranormal investigation unit, and he works with the ESB as well. He may be able to give you some information regarding the movements of the storm, as well as news on the Esper on Mt. Domino." Despite that, however, it was clear Sami didn't like that idea at all. She didn't say anything, but she didn't have to with her expression. Ryou felt that might've been a good thing. If Sami did say anything, it was definitely going to be negative. He breathed a sigh of relief when Yugi spoke next.

"But why bring Kaiba?" Yugi asked, stealing the words right out of Sami's disapproving mouth, "What would _he_ do? He doesn't believe in magic." Sami gave Ishizu a smug grin, but Ishizu just waved it away confidently. Obviously, she knew this already.

"He will believe this when he sees firsthand the damage that will be done," the woman replied calmly, "And if he does, he may very well be the one to prevent casualties that will occur. It pains me to admit that he's only humoring us, but I do believe that he will turn once he sees how dangerous this will become. If not for us, then for his brother." Sami just snorted. Using Mokuba to sway Kaiba seemed like a very cheap shot to take. The problem must've been serious for _Ishizu_ to resort to that. Sami looked to Yami, to see his reaction to this. But he remained passive. He must've felt neutral about Kaiba's presence. Personally, she wished he showed a little bit more emotion than that. It'd have helped her refuse Ishizu's help even more.

"I don't like this," Sami stated grimly, almost stubbornly, "Kaiba's been more of a hindrance than a help before. Why should we trust him?" Ryou winced. Put that way, Sami was being rather harsh toward Kaiba, even if what she said was truthful. Ishizu smiled weakly, and stood up. Shadi stood as well; they were going to leave. Clearly, they came just to warn them of this.

"Because if you do not, fate itself will take a turn for the worst," Ishizu warned gravely, and then she and Shadi left immediately. Sami frowned. If there was one thing she didn't entirely trust, it was fate. Nor did she like it being brought up in a conversation. But Ishizu had left already, and no amount of argument would've changed her mind. But damn it! Sami didn't _want_ Kaiba with them! She looked over at Ryou.

"What do you think of this?" she asked to all three of her friends. Ryou looked up at her with worry.

"I think we'd better see what we can do," he told her gently, "Using Mokuba like that… Sami, this is serious. What could be happening?" Sami shrugged, looking out the window. The sky had darkened since Ishizu had come. Not a good sign.

"Knowing how magic works, it could be anything," she mumbled, crossing her arms, "One thing's for certain, though. That Esper had better not be dead, or we're screwed. If Espers are wiped out, Chesiers are finished as well. We're just branch-offs of them, we don't even have a tenth of their strength." Ryou shivered. That wasn't a good odd to have. Especially if what Ishizu said was true. Yugi looked over at Yami, but the spirit had his eyes closed, leaning back in his seat. He looked as though he might've been asleep. Yugi frowned. He wanted Yami's advice on this; he _wanted_ to go, but he had a feeling tagging along would just get in Sami's way. And right then, he thought it was best to avoid that. But Yami didn't stir. He looked over at Sami again.

"You're saying Espers are even stronger than you?" he asked her, his eyes widening, "But… but you nearly sent us to another ice age! How's that possible!?" Sami raised an amused brow at that. Yugi seemed absolutely awestruck with her amount of power. Out of the corner of her eye, however, she noticed that Ryou had grown grim and stiff. She made a mental note to remember that. Then she grinned.

"Well, it's not like _I_ know who I am, so when I say I'm a Chesier, take it with a grain of salt," she said easily, "I'm going off what my bastard of a human father said, and what Katt says, too." Ryou shivered. For that matter, she _was_ an Esper. Or a Mystic herself. She caught him staring at her, and he averted his eyes. He wished he knew more about her now. It might've prevented this from happening.

"So then, if Chesiers and Espers are pretty much the same, and Mystics are killing the Espers _here_, they really are after you?" Yugi asked her, and she nodded slowly, almost questioningly as well. To her, the answer was obvious: someone killed them all already, and that same someone nearly killed _her_. Twice, she had to add.

"Yugi, they've been after me for quite some time now," she reminded him, "It's not a new thing. The only part that'll be new is actually getting a damn clue as to why. That'd be the best part of this godforsaken trip. But I have a feeling that won't happen." Yami finally cracked open one of his eyes. Sami looked directly at him, and he gave her a smug grin as he sat up. He truly had been awake.

"You're really negative about this," he commented, stretching out a little, "What's wrong? Afraid of getting shot again?" Sami's eyes narrowed flatly.

"Considering how much blood I lost, that's a warranted fear to have, isn't it?" she retorted, and sighed as she turned toward the front entrance, "Well, it's not like we'd be much safer in here. Let's get this over with. The less I need to deal with Kaiba, the better off I'll be later." Ryou laughed as Yami joined her and put an arm around her shoulder. They all walked through the doorway and into the storefront. Yugi rushed ahead and opened the door. And instantly, they regretted it.

The outside had always been a peaceful place for Ryou to go and relax when life became too tough. But when Yugi opened the door to that same outside, it was like some higher force decided to take a whiffle bat and just beat Ryou's peace up until it shattered into tiny shards. The outside was no longer peaceful, and Sami knew she should've expected this when she had seen it growing dark from the window. Now, darkness had fallen. It was way too early for that, but there was no sign of the sun. There was wind, and there was a soft drizzle. But there was no sun. Her ears lowered.

"Why's it so dark out?" Yugi asked, as they tramped across the yard and down the street toward Ryou's. Sami didn't answer, even though everyone knew she knew what was wrong. Yami waited patiently, and both Yugi and Ryou snickered a little. This was really annoying her. But, when thunder crashed in the sky, her tail thumped the ground in irritation.

"…dark magic," she replied lowly, "Someone's creating this. Look over at the clock tower. It's only two in the afternoon." Ryou looked, and saw she was right. It was _way_ too early to be nighttime. He simply shrugged and led them toward the car. Technically, there wasn't much they could do now. Without even thinking about it, he handed Sami the keys, climbing into the back as she and Yami took the front seats. Just for a moment, though, Sami hesitated. Yami strapped Yugi into the back, and then looked at her when he realized she hadn't started the engine. She seemed to be thinking of something else.

"Sami?" he called calmly, "Are you all right?"

"I'm worried," she replied slowly, and Ryou saw her hand was shaking a little, "This is really, really dark magic. It's even stronger than the last Mystic we fought, and Katsaiga was powerful. If we go… we'll be driving right into it." Yami's lips thinned. That was a risk that had been implied beforehand. To him, if Sami had any hesitancy, she should've shown it then. He glanced back at Ryou. The boy seemed just as grave as he did. They nodded to each other. They'd have to do this eventually, and possibly in even worse conditions. Right now, a slight storm was the best they should've expected.

"Drive, Sami," Ryou said firmly. Yami glanced at her, and heard her snort. Then she grinned and started the engine. Somehow, hearing Ryou's approval dissipated any fear she did have. Or maybe she was afraid just to see Ryou's reaction. Either way, now she was more than happy to get moving. She backed out of the driveway, and in her familiarly sly tone, she said the one thing Ryou felt sealed the rest of their fate.

"We're going to take one hell of a drive, so hang onto your pants and don't shit in them." Sometimes, Ryou wished Sami just didn't say anything at all.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

After finding Sami alive and well, Ryou and Yami try to divulge some information out of her. Just then, Ishizu and Shadi come to inform them that magic's been let loose in Domino again, and now, they need to go and find out why. With Kaiba and Rex joining the fray, can they find out who and what's attacking Domino again? Can they find Sami's attacker? And can they save the Esper, and save the world? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!


	10. Not exactly a Hiking Trip

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Takahashi does. He thinks Rex would make a great detective, too.

Seto Kaiba had watched the ordeal from his own window. How long he stood there, he didn't know, but he'd seen it all. He watched the sky darken from noon onwards. He watched, even as Mokuba had come in to give him the phone. It had been Ishizu, the very bane of his sanity. And when she told him what she knew, of the magic, of the disturbance, of everything, he didn't believe it then. But now, with the sky nearly pitch black, the clouds a thick purple above, he wasn't so sure he could discount it. Magic rarely was potent enough for the simplistic human nose to detect it, but that afternoon, Kaiba felt just a spark of that horrible substance. And when he finally tore his eyes away from the sky, he saw the old station wagon rumbling down the road toward the distant mountain ranges. Just what he needed to see; morons heading right to the slaughterhouse.

"Ryou Bakura again. I swear he gets himself mixed up in this on purpose," the man growled in irritation, "Magic. What a load of bullshit." He turned from the window quickly, intent on just drawing the curtains back. This was no concern of his, so why Ishizu felt the need to warn him was a mystery not worth solving, in his mind. Right then, the door creaked open. His eyes narrowed. But, it was just Joey. He brought in a tray with some iced tea, his skin paled. Unlike Kaiba, Joey had worried a great deal when he saw the dark clouds overhead.

"Hey, buddy. Tea's getting worried about you, so she sent me up with a drink," Joey said quietly, setting the tray down, "Man, the news is in hysterics. Another satellite was blown off! Tristan just told me…" Joey stopped when he realized Kaiba wasn't paying attention. Something about the outside kept distracting him. Lips pursed, Joey asked, "Something wrong?"

"…do you actually believe in magic?" Kaiba asked quietly, his voice nearly shaking. Joey frowned. For Kaiba to be asking that meant that something really was very wrong in the world. Kaiba didn't believe in magic, and he wanted everyone to know it, too. Joey hummed, considering his answer. He himself didn't know what to believe. Magic existed. And it nearly killed him.

"Well… I know it's _real_," Joey replied, "Why?" Kaiba sighed and pointed out the window. Joey looked, and his eyes widened. The clouds were purple! The grass below started changing color, as well. And the streetlights were dimming rapidly. This _spelled_ trouble. No wonder everyone was freaking out. Joey shivered just looking at the scenery. There was a sense of dread he wasn't used to.

"All I need is a look out _there_ to know something bad is going on," Kaiba told him grimly, looking around the room, "I want to go out there and investigate, but I'm not leaving Tea or Mokuba here. The fact that your idiot of a friend, Ryou, is heading there right now makes it even more curious. That crazy friend of his nearly killed us two years ago." Joey frowned, but didn't look over at the older man. The outside drew him in. Everything looked crisper, clearer. Somehow, the darkness gave the shapes out there more definition. And the little bits of color that penetrated such a scene were rich. It was hard to imagine such a state, but it was right before his eyes. He barely heard what Kaiba said, though the name 'Ryou' snapped him out of it.

"Ryou's heading up there?" Joey asked, and sighed, "Makes sense if he's taking Sami with him. If _she's_ going, something's definitely happening up there. What do you think it is, though? Sorceress?" Kaiba just snorted. To assume it was even human was a dumb idea. He might not have believed in magic, but he wasn't dumb. Humans possessed only a spark of magic. No human was powerful enough for _this_ sort of storm. He shook his head, a smirk forming on his otherwise gaunt face.

"Don't be a moron, Wheeler. This is much worse than any card trick a sorcerer could pull," he said in amusement, taking a deep breath, "If anything, it's something Winchester will be taking care of, and that's good enough for me." Joey's frown worsened. Sometimes, Kaiba's inability for compassion really grated on his nerves. Kaiba might've had a point, but Ryou was his friend.

"Yeah, but if it's killing people, we'd better go and help them," Joey reasoned, "Come on, Kaiba. I know somewhere, you think this might actually be something worth checking out." Kaiba just let out an annoyed sigh. Joey was right; Kaiba _did_ want to see what was going on. But he certainly wasn't about to admit that. If anything, he'd just humor Joey. Tea, however, would be much harder to fool. As would Mokuba.

"I don't, but we probably should go," he replied, shrugging slightly, "Wheeler, go down and get Tea and Mokuba. I'm going to shut off the computers before this storm knocks them down, too." Joey nodded, and left the room at that. Kaiba unplugged his machines, and then looked out the window again. The grass was entirely purple now, the looming mountains in the distance gray against the black sky. Houses and roofs seemed to have lost their color in the gloom; aside from the occasional flicker of light, Kaiba could barely see them. He sighed. This was _definitely_ from magic. Taking a pistol from his desk, he hid it in his coat and went downstairs quickly. In the five minutes he'd been alone, Joey had managed to assemble both Tea and Mokuba. All three of them were worried when they saw Kaiba walking in, and it was Mokuba who spoke first.

"Seto, what's going on?" he asked, standing up as his brows creased in agitation, "Joey's acting weird, and Tea's really scared of something. What the hell's happening?" Seto's eyes narrowed flatly. Tea, he understood. Weird things were going on, and their wedding was getting closer as well. But Joey? He wished Joey were better at keeping his terror out of his demeanor. It'd make this easier to deal with. He placed his hands on Mokuba's shoulders, and found the young boy was shaking terribly.

"Calm down, kid," Kaiba said reassuringly, and looked at everyone in the room, "Listen. Something is going on, but I'm not sure how bad it actually is. Ishizu Ishtar called me, and I'm going to head down to Mt. Domino and see what's happening down there." Tea looked up at him, her eyes wide at the news. It was written all over her that she didn't want him going. Mokuba just hummed in annoyance. He didn't want Kaiba going, either, but nothing rarely stopped his brother. There was only one problem in Mokuba's mind right then.

"You're going to make us stay here," he grumbled, "Great. Just great. You get to go out and throw your life off a cliff, and we have to stay here. Let me guess. It's for my own safety, too, isn't it!?" Kaiba just snorted. Mokuba was acting like he _wanted_ to do this, and Kaiba would've loved nothing more than to push it aside. But Ishizu had been right when she used Mokuba to sway his opinion: he'd be putting the kid in even worse danger if he didn't do something. So, out of love, Kaiba agreed. But even so, that didn't get rid of the initial problem. Either way, whether he was left here or not, Mokuba was still in danger. Whichever one would prove worse off was something Kaiba didn't know. Nor was he willing to test it. Risking himself was one thing, but risking Mokuba was another. He smirked again.

"Well, it would've been if I actually told you to stay here," the older man replied slyly, "But I think you might be worse off if you didn't come with me, so I think I want you all to join me. So, get in the car. And if I tell you all to keep your asses seated, you'll do it or you'll die." Mokuba nodded, and both he and Joey ran to find a weapon for the journey. Kaiba looked over and saw Tea's face had paled considerably. Frowning, he asked, "What's wrong?"

"Seto, I… I don't know if I want to go," she replied nervously, "What use am I in a fight?" Seto's frown worsened. To him, it wasn't about use. Sami was going up to the mountain, and with her insanity with weaponry, he doubted any of them would actually need to do anything. He walked over and put his hands on her shoulder.

"If you don't go, you're going to die here," he reminded her, "And I'm not letting that happen. Not even to Joey. So get in the car. You'll be fine." Tea nodded, but Kaiba saw she didn't truly believe him. He'd have to let that go. He let go of her, and she walked to the front door, slipping on her coat just as Joey and Mokuba came back. Joey was wielding a metal rod, but Mokuba decided to take a chef's knife instead. Kaiba just grumbled. He was obviously spending too much time at Ryou's house; Sami and Bakura had an affinity to knives.

"We ready?" Joey asked, and Kaiba nodded. Tea opened the door, and they all walked out, practically running toward the car. They got in, and Kaiba immediately set off down where he saw Ryou's station wagon head. He had no idea what he should've been expecting, but he could take a few well-educated guesses. Magic did a number of screwed up things, including distorting space. And if he'd have to drive in loop-de-loops in order to end this problem, so be it. Anything to drive magic away and keep his life as normal as possible.

---

Wind blew harshly in all directions as Rex Raptor walked down the road, holding his Sherlock Holmes-style cap to keep it from being blown away. It'd only been his third day in the paranormal investigative unit in the Domino Police Force, but already, he smelled a huge case. He'd heard that Sami's life had been risked; he received the report on it personally. And what a coincidence that had been. He was her friend, so he decided to check it out. And now, he was being steered toward an even worse case. Magic was slowly treading back into the city, and this was right up his department's alley. And if it somehow tied to Sami's attack, which he was sure it did, he'd be promoted _again_. Sometimes, he was glad he joined the police force. It definitely beat losing duels all of the time.

"And here I thought I'd have been pushing papers all day. Go figure," he mused, as he trudged down the lonely, dark road, "Okay, theories aside, all I know is that this started almost immediately after Sam was shot. I don't know why, but that's a bit too coincidental for my taste. Call me cynical. Honestly, though, the woman doesn't have an enemy save for those Mystics! Why would anyone shoot her if they didn't want her dead?" He looked down at the notes he managed to take when he went back to Flamenco's to ask around, since that had been close to where the shooting took place, and it'd been the last place Sami was beforehand, "According to Pierre, he did hear a gunshot. But he didn't see anything. It couldn't have been a hit and run, because it happened in an alley, and near the abandoned graveyard underground. Someone knew where she'd be. But why would a Mystic use a gun?" That was the part that didn't make much sense to Rex. During his training, officials from the ESB had come to talk to his group about the dangerous races involved in magic. Mystics had been the first priority, and they had enough magic to wipe out his world. So why use a gun?

"…maybe they didn't _want_ her dead," he concluded, and nodded, "It'd make sense. These Mystics sound like real bastards. They don't like just seizing control. They need a game to make it more interesting. Right now, Sami's the only one who's actively in their way. They want to see what she'd do nearly dead. They're sizing up how bad a threat she is." His lips thinned as he began to cross a large street. This was becoming a very interesting case, and now he felt he was getting onto something, "Yeah… that shooting had to be a warning. And this new magical bullshit? _This_ has to be their idea of the game." He looked up and off to the distance. Already, he could see the looming ranges behind the city. The thick ring of clouds his boss wanted investigated were spreading from there. So, it'd make sense that he'd have to drive there. Except that he hated driving in the dark. But he shrugged. A job was a job.

"Doesn't matter. I have to go up there and start poking around. If there's a Mystic, they'd have to be up there," he concluded, and sighed, "I just hope Weevil can figure out a way to clear those clouds. I don't want to live in six years of darkness…" He yelped as a pair of headlights flashed over him, and as he looked over, he shielded his eyes. A car was speeding towards him, honking their horn furiously. Rex had to dive out of the way to avoid being slammed, and as the car passed, he saw the driver's window being rolled down.

"Hey! Watch where you're going, you freaking idiot!" the driver yelled, flipping Rex off. Rex's eye twitched, and he dropped his notebook as the car sped past.

"Don't make me ticket you, _asshole_!" Rex yelled back, and smiled with satisfaction when the guy continued to yell, only to smash into a tree a minute later from lack of watching where _he_ was going. Rex chuckled as he made his way to his squadron car, climbing in. Then, he became serious again. As he started the car, he looked up at the distant ranges. It'd take an hour to get there, perhaps even more. Especially if those clouds decided to spout magic and create its own obstacles. Rex wasn't versed in magic, but he'd seen enough from Sami, Katt, and his own boss to know that magic was a pain in his ass. He began the long drive through the dark city, shaking his head.

"I'd better find something good, or I'm going to be pissed," he said to himself, "Especially since I could've been looking at a shooting! A real, live shooting! I'd rather be doing _that_ on my day off, than investigating magic." And with that, he weaved through the abandoned streets toward the mountain.

---

Sami had been right. Ryou hated when she was right, but she was right when she said the drive would be hell. It was. He could deal with the rain that started, obscuring what little light the streetlamps offered, and he could deal with difficulty in keeping a good grip with the car. But what he hated was when monsters started _jumping out of nowhere_ and tried to _kill_ them. Sami neither looked surprised or afraid when she saw this. She had expected it, and she was skilled with the car, too. She weaved and swerved, revving the engine when she knew she'd be able to vector the monsters with the car, or at least tear some of their limps apart. It was a brutal, bloody scene, and she added even more damage when she flashed the headlights on them. Many of them screeched in agony; obviously, light was their mortal foe. As was Sami herself. Ryou counted up over thirty dead monsters within just five minutes, and the piles kept growing. Sami was such a crazy bitch sometimes. And Ryou was glad he let _her_ drive this time.

"Jesus Christ, Sami, be careful of the car!" Ryou exclaimed after she nearly slammed into a large, black mantis, only to break and send out a large blaze of fire toward it with her own magic, "It's flammable, just like everything else!" Sami looked over at him flatly. Clearly, that didn't appear to concern her.

"Good. Maybe we'll get some decent gas mileage if we set it on fire," she joked, charging forward as she shredded the wheels against the body of the mantis, "This piece of shit won't be much use after I'm done with it." Ryou's eyes widened in terror. This was his father's car! And Sami was destroying it! Ryou twitched as he heard the cross between an orange being peeled, and a very disturbing slicing noise. He glanced out the window and nearly threw up. Black blood was spewing from under the tires. Sami clearly was going for an overkill.

"First of all, what are those things?" Yugi asked, as Sami sped away, dragging one of the monster's arms with them as she did so, "Second, are you _absolutely sure_ this is the only way to kill them!?" If Sami didn't have to pay attention to the road, she'd have looked back at Yugi as if he were criminally insane. She didn't want to remind him that _she_ was the expert warrior here. Not that it was doing them any good. She technically wasn't personally blowing the crap out of these monsters. Their car was. And, it was their car that Ryou noticed was beginning to smoke. He threw open his door, and Sami screeched to a stop as he jumped out. And she soon saw why as Yugi and Yami quickly followed. Right after, the car burst into flames, with Sami still in it. Ryou screamed until he saw her fly right out, slamming into the ground beside him. He bent down to help her, but she pushed him away. Standing up, she took one look at the car.

"…_FUCK!_" she screamed, and Yami just laughed, "Damn it! Damn it to hell, why did this piece of shit break _now_!?" Ryou never knew Sami to curse so much in a single sentence unless she was absolutely tanked. Which she wasn't. She was currently trying to douse the flames with magic, but for once, the fire was more powerful than her. All she ended up doing was wasting magic. So, in the end, she simply told them they'd have to continue on foot. Which was something no one wanted to do. But if they didn't, there was a good chance they'd end up dead, and the library wasn't too far away. At first, Ryou couldn't understand why Sami would want to head there first. Then she explained: she needed to see if there were records on this. And if there were, it'd explain how to get rid of it, too. It was a fine idea to Ryou, except that they were in serious danger and would end up dead if they didn't move it. So, they went on.

The library was easily the scariest building in the city at night. Not only was it _bigger_ than most of the buildings on the street, being nearly four stories high, the entrance was also obscured in shadow from the huge pillars adorning the front of the building. The steps, however, stood in stark contrast. The moonlight began to pierce the overcast sky, and thin rays shined on the marble, making it glow white. That was probably the only reason Sami even saw the building. Signaling to the others, she ran up the stairs and went to open it. It was locked. Frustrated, and worried, she simply blew the door apart with a spell and rushed inside. The other three quickly joined her, though Yami stopped to use his own magic to repair the door. They had to keep the monsters out somehow.

"What were those things?" Yugi asked her again, as he heard Yami behind them, trying to catch up. They ran to what seemed like the back of the library. But in the dark, everything looked absolutely the same. They could've been anywhere inside the building. Sami finally stopped at one shelf filled with huge tomes and old volumes. It smelled faintly of mold there.

"Monsters, but they're definitely not from your world," she replied, digging through the volumes, "I've no idea where they're from, but we're bound to find something here. I doubt this is the first time this has happened." Ryou frowned. That was a rather vague answer. But Sami was good at giving those, so he didn't complain. She finally took out an ancient, haggardly book that looked absolutely ready to crumble to ash, and placed it on a long table. Opening it up, she grinned and found that it was exactly what she needed. Except that it was in a language only she could read; it was the Esper language. Yugi looked at it oddly, trying to find some way to decipher it. There was none.

"What's it all mean?" he asked her. She adjusted her glasses, and lit a small candle for them to see. In the wane light, her face looked gaunt again. But clearly, she was in a good mood.

"According to this, this has happened before," she replied carefully, reading, "And in your world, too. But… something's wrong here. Really, really wrong." Ryou noticed her voice was getting quiet as she read. Something was bothering her now. Her skin was beginning to look white now.

"…what's wrong?" Ryou asked her, after about three minutes of dead silence. Sami read just a bit more, and when she spoke, her voice was shaking.

"This happened three thousand years ago, and the only way they stopped it was by using five forbidden spells and sealing those spells into five orbs and scattering them throughout Oblivion," she explained, "But then… there's nothing. After that, it says that the Espers seemed to have vanished without a trace from either side of the war of the Espers." Her voice was even worse now. Ryou frowned. This held some kind of meaning, but what it was, he didn't know. Nor did he ask. He doubted she'd know of it.

"You were around back then. Yami, did you know about this?" Yugi asked, and everyone turned to the spirit. He flushed in embarrassment, and then slowly, he nodded.

"…yes, but not much," he replied, "All I know was that Egypt was involved in a slight struggle between a very evil Esper, but we destroyed her. This must've happened sometime after I died." Unfortunately, that didn't help them. Sami hummed and went back to reading the rest of the article. That was, until Ryou stopped her again, sitting down next to her.

"What are these orbs you mentioned?" he asked her, "What of the spells?" She looked up, the candle throwing disturbing shadows across her face. In that light, she looked almost evil herself.

"The orbs? They hold the five spells that could possibly wipe out entire worlds when used irresponsibly," she replied calmly, "They were made when two Espers nearly destroyed Oblivion with the spells in question…" She winced, and Ryou caught it. It was a painful look, but then it faded almost as quickly as it came. Sami's expression smoothed and she finished with, "It's rumored that one of them died… while the other was exiled." Ryou's lips thinned a little, and he remembered faintly on what Katsaiga had said to him before she'd died. '_It happened so long ago that she can't remember_.' He remembered the look on her face, just a second ago, as she read the passage. Was her mind registering something?

"…sometimes I wish Katsaiga were alive," he mumbled, and when Sami stared at him, he said, "She said what happened to _you_ happened so long ago that you couldn't remember. Think this could have anything to do with it?" Sami blinked quickly, and looked back down at the volume. Ryou caught her wince. For a split second, her face contorted again. Something was definitely making a connection inside of her, but it kept falling short. And she obviously couldn't feel it. She shook her head.

"I doubt it," she finally said, "If it does, then that'd make me over three thousand. Do I look that old to you?" Ryou snorted. If she was a non-human, it wouldn't matter how old she looked. But she seemed to be past whatever was going on with her, for she returned the old tome. Then she blew out the candle. She must've found whatever it was she happened to be looking for. She led them out of the back section and toward a shelf that held many different artifacts. But only one, she picked up. It was a necklace; the chain was made of silver, and the center piece was made of a blue metal Ryou couldn't identify. In it was a small, clear orb. She held it for a moment, and then handed it to Yugi, for he looked curious about it. He grinned as he slipped it on his neck.

"So, you know how to disperse those clouds now?" he asked her as he fingered the jewel in the center of the necklace. Sami hummed, and shook her head grimly as she picked out another artifact. She studied it for a few seconds before replacing it again.

"If I did, I'd have done it by now," she replied gravely, "I was looking for any records of this happening before, and I've found them. They're useless as of now, but we still have other places to go to. Here, take this." She handed Ryou a bracelet. Like the necklace, it had a silver chain and a clear orb in its center. He eyed it carefully. It was crafted with utmost care.

"What is it?" he asked her, as she began to walk to the front of the library. She stopped and turned to him. The look on her face was stern.

"Katsaiga's jewels," she replied, "She was on our side, and it protected her from the evil magic of Oblivion. It'll protect you both as well." Ryou blinked, but before he could answer, she was already out the door. Yami was walking quickly to keep up as well. Not wanting to be left behind, Ryou ran after them. Outside, the wind calmed down and the rain stopped, but the darkness hadn't lifted yet. Ryou wasn't surprised. But what he did notice was that there was nothing else on the road save for them, either. He blinked. All of the bodies and blood Sami had managed to rack up disappeared. It was like nothing had happened. The car, however, was still destroyed. Ryou walked down the steps to where Sami stood, observing the road toward an even thicker darkness. She was looking for something.

"Are they gone?" he asked her quietly, and she jumped. She turned to him, at first unable to understand what he was referring to. Then she got it. He was asking about monsters. Grimly, she shook her head and pointed down the road, but she didn't say anything. She was purposely being very quiet. Ryou squinted his eyes to see, but he couldn't see very far at all. Sami must've had amazing night vision, or perhaps she simply _smelled_ something off. He looked at her questioningly, but she simply pointed down the road again. Was he supposed to go down there first? Yugi came up, tapped her shoulder, and pointed to the scraps that used to be Ryou's car. It no longer spouted smoke or flames.

"Want me to fix the car?" he asked her, "I got a B in mechanics. I can probably do it." Sami looked at him in amusement. _Probably_ wasn't good enough. Even _definitely_ didn't look like it'd make the cut for how badly in shape the poor car was in. But they did need something to travel safely in. And by 'travel safely,' Sami meant 'ram the monsters and kill them with.' If Yugi wanted to give it a crack, she wasn't about to stop him. _She_ certainly wasn't going to get herself fried trying to handle the tools needed. Not that they had them. She smirked.

"If you want to kill yourself, go for it," she replied simply, "Makes my responsibility go way down." Ryou frowned. He didn't like the threat implied, but it _was_ real. And he had a huge feeling Yugi didn't actually know what he was doing. The small boy walked over to the car and opened the hood. Smoke flooded out, but that didn't deter him. He waved it away and tugged on a wire. And if he'd even picked up a car manual, he'd have expected that oil would've come spurting right at him. He yelped and fell backwards. Obviously, he _hadn't_ expected it. Yami just sighed, walking up and lifting Yugi to his feet.

"That'd never work," he stated smugly, "I've seen this on television. _This_ will." Yugi raised a brow as Yami walked to the car, wondering just what show Yami could've seen that'd allow _him_, who had never even operated a vehicle until Yugi solved his puzzle, to fix one. Let alone even drive it. Yami took a deep breath, and then slammed his foot into the side of what used to be a door. The car rumbled, and then the door fell off and the rest of the scrap heap exploded right on him. He jumped back, eyes widened in utter bewilderment. He was _so sure_ that _anything_ on television would've worked! After all, Ishtar had _sworn_ to him that Walker, Texas Ranger solved _everything_. Now, Ishtar was going to die if Yami ever saw him again.

"Yeah, like that was any better than my attempt!" Yugi exclaimed sarcastically, smacking Yami over the head. The disgruntled spirit fell over, and then he started yelling back. Of course, both thought the other was dead wrong. So it wasn't even remotely surprising when they started arguing. Ryou and Sami stood there, watching. Neither could tell if they should've been flabbergasted or not, but both were equally as speechless about it. Here they were, stranded in the _middle of nowhere_, where monsters might come and _kill them_, and their friends were _arguing like children_! Sami turned to Ryou after a few minutes, and he didn't need to see her to know her expression was as flat as half the ale she drank.

"I feel sorry for Domino right about now," she stated simply, her voice just as flat as her expression, "If _we're_ the heroes, we're going to get our asses kicked soundly. At this rate, Rath won't even need to do a damn thing." Ryou just snorted. That part was very well true, only because only Sami and Katt seemed strong enough to take her down. Lay aside that fact, and Ryou really was lucky to be alive at all. He looked at Yugi and Yami again. They didn't seem likely to stop, and they seemed completely oblivious to their current situation: getting _away_ from the monsters first and foremost. That was probably the worst circumstance to be in, and Ryou knew that if it came down to running for their lives, Sami would probably leave them behind if she couldn't stop them. And when it came to arguing, rarely anything was able to stop them.

"Should we do anything?" Ryou asked her, as Yugi and Yami finally stopped trying to beat each other up. They were panting heavily from their scuffle. Sami just looked at them in amusement, and then turned a sly smile to Ryou. Something told him she wasn't really concerned for them. And when she spoke, he found he was right.

"I'm content to let them beat the shit out of each other," she replied, "Or stab them. It depends on how much they annoy me." Ryou's expression froze as he examined Sami's expression. Just how serious was she? He didn't think she'd actually kill his friends, but with her, he never knew just quite what to expect. He'd just have to hope. And, as he watched the two before them continue with their argument, he did just that. He hoped, both that Sami wouldn't harm them, and that they'd wise up and shut up before she did.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

After getting some information at the library, despite its lack of use, Ryou now needs to head to the mountain. In what looks like another Mystic attack on his world, he has to find the Esper living at the top of the range, and he now hopes they can help Sami stop this attack. Will that Esper be alive? And will they get to the mountain, hopefully with both Yugi and Yami alive as well? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!


	11. Enter Tiamat: Queen of the Espers

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Takahashi does, and he doesn't think it's safe letting anyone except Anzu drive a car.

The fight lasted much, much longer than Ryou thought. He was absolutely certain that, once ten minutes had passed, Sami would just take it upon herself to 'remind' them that they had something to do. And her way of reminding them would've ended with a sword right up their asses. But she made no move to do anything. At least, not until they started whining about who was right again. That's when she finally had enough. She had gone over and smacked them both with the hilt of her sword, and that was when they got the message loud and clear. They immediately shut their mouths, and Sami beckoned for Ryou to follow them. She led them through the darkness and up the road, which began to wind out of the city.

The road ended up being much more peaceful than Ryou expected. The darkness was simply that: darkness. No monsters were around, and the rain had stopped entirely. Mist had formed due to the cold from heading upwards into the mountain range, but other than that, it was like hiking at night. Scary, dark, damp, and a little exciting. But at least they weren't in danger of being mauled. Only one monster appeared briefly, just a flicker of movement before them, but Sami was fast. She decimated it with a ball of fire before it even saw them coming, and it was only because the poor thing screeched in agony that they even knew what Sami was doing. Black blood dripped down the road, pooling a little behind them. Ryou looked back at it in worry, wondering what else would be lurking, but everyone else ignored it.

"So, why do you think they're not appearing any longer?" Yami asked, as they rounded a bend, the right side of it dropping off into a very large lake. Sami looked down into it. It looked pitch black, just like the sky. Only the sound of the waves crashing into the cliffs told her it wasn't a portal into absolute nothingness.

"Either they're hiding from me, or whoever sent them is too weak to keep up that sort of power for too long," she guessed, "Whichever one it is, it's a pretty good sign for us. It means the idiot doing this is highly inexperienced." Ryou looked over at her. Idiot wasn't exactly a term he'd use, especially since that same _idiot_ nearly killed Sami. But she didn't offer much else of an explanation, and Ryou doubted she had any, so he let it alone. For a few minutes, they climbed up the road as it inclined, and he sourly wished now that she hadn't gone ballistic on the car engine. They'd probably be up there if they had the car.

"So… about what you found earlier," Yugi started, "You seemed to be really freaked out by it. Do you know something?" Sami blinked, not expecting that question. Personally, she couldn't see how or why Yugi would want to know more. She couldn't exactly find a connection, but she explained what she did know. She explained that the war had gone on due to a struggle over the throne of Nesce, which was where Espers came from originally. According to her, it was the world most concentrated with magic, which was why Espers, and Chesiers, were so powerful. And it was rumored to be where Mystics came from as well. But, other than that, she knew nothing else. The reason she was terrified was because it meant another war might begin, and this time, it might take their world out if it did. Yugi just shivered. A war! And against Mystics. He didn't know who would be able to go against them if that were the case.

"But… why did you call this particular Mystic an idiot?" Ryou asked her, shivering from both the thought of a war and from the cold, "Is she starting this war?" Sami snorted softly, shaking her head. There was a smirk on her face again.

"No, but she's definitely not skilled enough for this level of power," she replied calmly, "This is sloppy work. It's almost laughable, really. Sending out a storm to stop us? And then it dissipates relatively quickly. Ryou, I highly doubt this idiot of a woman knows just who she's playing with. Either she's stupid, or she's young." There was a note that sounded as though Sami couldn't actually tell the difference. Ryou wanted to laugh. She was perfectly calm about this, in the sense that she could probably destroy this woman in a few seconds. But the warning of a war was still too strong for him to find it in any way funny. He bit his lip as the road slowly sloped upwards. Trees were growing a bit thicker now, blocking out what little moonlight managed to get past the clouds.

"So, what do we do?" he asked her, as Yugi ran ahead to try and climb up the rock wall. Yami dragged him down, scolding him. Sami watched for about two seconds before replying.

"What _can_ we do?" she countered, and shrugged, "Ryou, we're on the brink of magical warfare. Katsaiga was trying to warn us all along, and Rath made sure she silenced the poor woman for eternity." Ryou looked down, closing his eyes. He remembered Katsaiga's last words; she pled eternal loyalty to Sith… to Sami, in her last dying breath. It broke his heart to kill her. But if he hadn't, Rath would have. Rath would've destroyed her soul. And he couldn't let that happen, no matter what Katsaiga was. Yugi looked back at Sami as she spoke to Ryou, and in the moonlight, his skin looked sallow. Sami watched as he walked up to her, his eyes glistening with worry. Obviously, the news was scaring him.

"So… we _are_ going to war?" he whispered, shivering, "Like… murdering and pillaging? War?" Sami looked down at him, raising a quizzical brow. She placed a hand on his shoulder, and felt him tremble. He was terrified, but slowly, he calmed down. Sami had a mellowing effect. A strength poured off of her that reassured Yugi. And her smile, which was gentle, only added to it. But why was she smiling?

"Looks that way, my friend," she said grimly, just a touch of sadness coloring her tone, "As it is, we've already received the battle flag. I have no mortal enemies other than Mystics, and Rath's already contacted us. She's using someone, and that someone's going to put Domino in a panic for her. Now, imagine how the officials are going to act if they find out we have a magical terrorist on our hands. You think they won't do anything?" Yugi looked over at Ryou, and the two had nearly identical expressions. They were horrified with the thought. Magic still wasn't widely accepted, and if the government thought it was a threat, hell would break loose. And that'd put Sami and Katt, and quite possibly the three spirits, in jeopardy. It might even cost them their lives. All from one person. And all for a reason they didn't see yet. Ryou shook his head in disbelief.

"They're going to persecute everyone who has even an ounce of magic in them!" he cried, his voice shaking, "Sami, they're going to destroy themselves!" Her sly smile appeared again. Just when things were going in the crapper. Ryou didn't feel she should be smiling at that thought, but he could understand her humor. She didn't like humans, and they'd be the ones destroying their own world if Rath succeeded. Which would make taking it all the more easier for her. It was a good plan.

"Exactly, Ryou," she replied darkly, her eyes gleaming for just a second, "Without resistance, and with this world's influential monarchy distracted with the threat of magic, looking for something they won't find, Rath can move right in and take complete control. She'll use humans to get rid of _us_, and then she'll take over. She's playing really well, but she's missing something." Sami clicked her fingers on the broken pistol she seemed to keep permanently to her hip, and Ryou knew what was coming, "My good friend, the blonde man. He's pissed off about this, and I know he's going to put up a fight with her. I don't know who he is, but he's powerful. We can depend on him if things get rough." Ryou's eyes narrowed. He certainly didn't feel that way. Sure, he trusted the man would kill him if they ever saw each other alone again, but help them? He trusted Rath a little more than he trusted the man.

"But can even he stop the forbidden spells?" Yami questioned. Sami stopped now, for the first time, and she looked down. She must've forgotten about those. Her lips thinned, forming a small frown on her face.

"…no," she finally said, "Damn it. If whoever this is unleashes them, Rath won't even need to get the government involved. We're royally screwed now. Those spells are powerful enough to wipe out entire worlds. Even one can kill every living thing in Domino City." Ryou wanted to know just how powerful such a spell was. It just didn't seem possible. Espers were responsible for nearly every connection of magic every world had. Why would they make spells that could destroy Oblivion? He asked her this, but her only answer was, "I don't know." And if _she_ didn't know, Ryou doubted anyone in Oblivion would. At least, anyone who'd be able to actually tell them about it.

"W-wait… so they definitely have these spells!?" Yugi asked, his voice threatening to crack, "And you're thinking they'll _use them_!?" He was on the verge of a breakdown. If it wouldn't hurt him, Sami would've lied and said she doubted they would. But in the end, if it came down to cornering this person, they'd stop at nothing. She knew they would. She'd seen the tenacity the Mystics used; when it came to winning, they did anything they could just short of killing themselves. Even if they had to, Sami didn't think it'd be impossible that they would. It would depend on how close they were to a take-over.

"Not only do I _think_ they'd use them, I know for certain they would," she replied calmly, much more so than Ryou felt was appropriate, "If they've gone this far, and if Rath has those orbs, the possibility of using a bluff is low. They'd go for a full onslaught. What we need to know is how close they've come and what this storm is supposed to actually mean. I'm not entirely sure if the person _we're_ looking for is the one who physically has the orbs, because of her low threshold for power. But if we can even find her, we may find a lead from her, too." Ryou and Yugi had a hard time following at that point. Not because Sami wasn't making sense, but because they had no idea where to even begin. From how it sounded, whoever was causing _this_ was just a pawn. And that pawn was going to be expended soon. And as much as Ryou hated the thought of it, they needed her as much as they wanted her dead, too. If anyone could use her, it _would_ be Sami.

"So from what you're suggesting, we're going to be battling these Mystics in tiers," Yami stated. Sami just grinned now.

"Now you're understanding my thinking. I was worried I'd have to spell it out," she replied, and as they came to a cliff wall, she stopped. Putting a hand on the black rocks, she found the wall was slippery. Slippery, but not entirely lethal yet. They could climb it. She looked back and said, "I hope your rock climbing skills are up to snuff, because we're going this way." Then, she heaved herself up.

When Ryou was smaller, he remembered with disdain when his father would take him camping and insist they climb up rocks together. He remembered the many times he skinned a knee or broke an arm because of his father's dumb idea. He hated rock climbing then, and he hated it now, as they traveled vertically up the cliff face. At the bottom, it'd been damp; the mud was just thick enough to provide some decent cohesion for handholds. But as they climbed higher, not only was it much colder, but the rocks were more jagged, and the angles were steeper. It was like climbing a wall of knives. Sharp, pointy knives that Bakura would've loved to use on Sami for this idea. Ryou kept praying the summit would come into view, but he knew they had much longer to go. And Sami wasn't one to stop and rest unless they were about to actually die from exhaustion. He personally wanted to know who actually raised her so he could kick them for hardening her. Finally, though, the rock began to flatten out, and the summit was finally beginning to unfold before them. Salvation had been reached.

"We're finally up here," Ryou breathed, shivering profusely from the damp mist. It was soaking right through his skin. Sami nodded as she helped him up, and then she took a good look around. The fog was thick up here, she noticed, and it smelled of burning ash. Which wasn't too surprising. They were on top of an inactive volcano. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes. To Ryou, it looked like she was trying to calm down, but she was actually hoping to pick up a trace of magic. The Esper should've been leaving one. Except that the traces she did find were incredibly small. She frowned.

"We might be, but something's wrong," she told him, "I can't sense the Esper. I'm sensing _something_, but it's miniscule. You think it left?" Ryou's face fell. If it did, then their work was for nothing. And he doubted Shadi _or_ Ishizu would be interested in a three-thousand year war. At least, not one that wouldn't involve Egypt. Sami hummed and turned, and froze. She saw a figure, partly obscured in mist, and she squinted her eyes to make out his features more accurately. She knew it was male; females had a specific type of energy this figure was lacking. Only when it spoke, did she actually recognize the voice.

"It's here," the voice belonged to Rex Raptor as he stepped into focus, his long coat billowing, "It's probably inside the volcano, though. The heat seems to be acting as a barrier against the storm. I wouldn't be surprised if it was asleep, either." Everyone just stared at him. Of all the people they'd expect to help them, Rex wasn't on any of their lists. But, then again, Ishizu did say she asked for his help. Yami smiled, but there was a cautiousness to him that Ryou was acutely aware of. He didn't trust Rex.

"Barrier, eh?" Yami asked, raising a brow, "Nice theory. But it begs the question… just how did you get up here?" Rex gave him a smirk of his own. Matching smug with smug wasn't the best battle plan Ryou would've executed, but he didn't make a move to stop them. And Sami didn't seem the least bit upset, either.

"I've been sent here to do some investigations on recent events, such as the storm. My boss is an Esper, and he's growing damn suspicious of it," Rex replied, showing them his badge, "And I wanted to ask your crazy friend about her assault. I'm not so sure the two aren't connected somehow, and I'm hoping some facts can help 'paint' the killer, if you will." Sami gave Ryou a stare that seemed to ask if she should've been taking the man seriously. Ryou honestly didn't know how to respond. No one really took Rex seriously. Mainly because he wasn't exactly _good_ at his job. Then again, half the cops in Domino were pretty lousy at solving crime. Rex couldn't be too much worse than them.

"First of all, there was no killer. I'm alive, in case you can't see that," Sami replied calmly, but not without annoyance, "Second, how the hell did you know about that? I certainly didn't report it, and neither did Ryou." She looked over at Yugi, but he also shook his head to indicate that he didn't call the police. Rex seemed mildly bewildered, and he took out his notes. To his dismay, he found that the reporter hadn't actually given a name. It could've been anyone. He bit his lip.

"Well, someone reported it," he told her, putting the notebook back in his pocket, "Not sure who, since they didn't leave a name. I assumed it must've been someone you knew, though." Sami just raised an amused brow. That was quite an assumption, given their current situation now. Ryou just snorted. He wasn't much better at guesswork and even he could tell this was suspicious. He leaned against a rock, looking Rex over carefully.

"Did you find anything about her attack?" he asked the would-be detective, who looked absolutely flustered now. He knew Ryou didn't trust his credentials, even if his boss seemed fine with them. He stuffed his hands into his pockets, his lips thin with hesitation. Whatever his answer was, Ryou knew he wouldn't like it.

"Well… I kind of couldn't investigate before getting moved to this, so… I found nothing," Rex told them regretfully, and Ryou groaned, "But wait! I might be able to find something if I ask you some questions! Please, just give me a damn chance!" Ryou looked back at Sami. Neither trusted Rex implicitly, but she nodded for them to continue. It'd give _her_ time to think about what they should be doing next. Rex took out his notebook and a pen and asked, "Okay, how was she attacked? I questioned Pierre, and he said he heard a gunshot. Can you verify this?" Ryou nodded.

"Yes. She was shot," he replied blandly, and then added, "There was a man who may have been shot, too. He ran after them. I mean, Sami was dragged off, and the man ran after whoever was attacking her. I found a lot of blood when I tried to follow." Rex nodded and wrote all of that down quickly. He opened his mouth to ask another question, but a loud screech from behind them alerted them that they weren't alone. Sami turned, and a black limousine rumbled toward them. It came to a slow stop, and Kaiba climbed out. Mokuba, Joey, and Tea were with him. And all of them looked either worried or excited.

"What the hell are they doing here!?" Yami demanded, turning to Rex as though he were the sole reason this happened. Never mind that Ishizu _told_ them Kaiba was coming. Rex raised an equally demanding brow and turned away. It _wasn't_ his problem, and he _wasn't _about to let some old husk of a man blame him for it. Ryou just looked, and saw Mokuba looking around excitedly, breathing in the mist as though it smelled of something enticing. Ryou didn't feel that burning rocks smelled particularly good.

"So _this_ is the summit! I've never been up here before!" Mokuba exclaimed, "It's all misty! It's awesome!" Sami frowned slightly. She was fine with Kaiba, but did he have to take Mokuba with him? They were in the middle of an investigation, and having to watch a child would only take away from their purpose. She didn't exactly approve. Walking toward the older man, she crossed her arms, glancing back only fractionally to issue a warning before Mokuba _really_ disrupted something.

"I'd advise you to stay where you are unless you like falling off cliffs, little boy," she stated, and turned forward to Kaiba, "You surprise me. I thought you felt magic was a load of bullshit." There was just enough sarcasm in her voice to enrage Kaiba. He snorted, his mouth slanting. There were some people Sami never got along with, and Kaiba was definitely on the top of her list. Likewise, she was on the top of his.

"Oh, I do," he assured her, "But if you losers are going to come here and play in the dirt, someone needs to make sure you don't walk off the cliffs." Ryou could tell Sami didn't like the insinuation of stupidity. And if she thought she could've gotten away with it, she'd be throwing Kaiba off those same cliffs. But Rex was right there, and she knew she wouldn't be able to outrun him, not with the path being as treacherous as it was. Her mouth twitched in agitation. Sometimes, working with the ESB sucked. They had too many morals.

"Likewise, I guess you brought Tea so no one pushed _you_ off, _asshole_," she retorted, a slim smile crossing her face, "So, are you going to help us or are you going to insult me? Be careful, one of them _will_ get you killed quicker." She didn't say which one would do that, but Kaiba just grinned. Maybe they did get along better than Ryou thought. But right then, no matter how friendly either were, there was still the problem of getting _inside_ the mountain. The summit was completely flat, and there weren't any paths to go down; you have to climb up a sheer cliff face in order to reach the top. Or to get down. Kaiba's implication wasn't actually too far off the mark, however insulting it was.

"Sami, how're we getting down into the mountain?" Yugi asked Ryou's unspoken question, "Isn't the cliff covered with moisture?" Sami nodded grimly. They'd have to be really careful if they planned on backtracking. Though, she did realize that Kaiba _drove_ onto the summit. She looked at him questioningly. How _did_ he manage that when the entire summit was surrounded by cliffs? That was why he was grinning. He knew something.

"No worries, my idiots," he said, and walked over, "Sure, Joey isn't exactly Driver McGee, but he did nearly run into a pothole and collapse into it. That's our ticket in." That also explained how they _drove up a cliff_. Joey was willing to do things like that, no matter how dangerous it was. At least he had bravery going for him. Kaiba used Rex's flashlight and showed them the hole. It was huge, easily admitting all of them at once if they wished. Joey and Rex jumped in first, followed by Yugi, Tea, Yami, and Mokuba. Kaiba just shot a smug glance Sami's way before entering himself. Ryou could just hear the 'haha' he didn't say. Likewise, so did Sami. She turned to him.

"I'm not sure I should do this," she said, and he stared at her in shock, "If I go down there, I might actually kill him." Ryou laughed. That'd just improve their odds of actually finding anything. As much as Kaiba had his uses, he was insulting as all hell. If he even looked at this Esper the wrong way, they all would die. He patted her back.

"You won't kill him," he assured her gently, "Rex will arrest you, and I know you want to save your sword for the Mystics." Sami just grinned, and together, they jumped into the hole. Ryou expected it to be pitch black once they landed, but to his surprise, the cavern was amazingly well lit. He could see every rock, every crack in the wall, and every withering tree root. Albeit, it was all in a red tint due to the heat, but it was visible. Good. They could easily find their way down here. Sami was sniffing the air again, and her nose wrinkled. Ryou noted that the smell of sulfur was overwhelming him. Sami's senses were even sharper; it must've been nerve-racking to her.

"…we're closer," she said solemnly, and grinned, "The fog's acting as ventilation. It's blocking out the stronger traces I'm smelling down here. But we're definitely close." Ryou and Yugi watched for a moment, and she pointed out a very thick line of wispy smoke. It was blue, which was odd considering they were in a volcano. "The thicker these waves of energies are, the stronger this Esper is. Damn it, who lives down here?"

"What does it mean when they're that thick?" Yugi asked, as the smoke vanished an instant later. Sami led them toward where the others were already walking. The ledge soon overlooked a large pool of lava far below them. Ryou was glad they were higher up; any closer and they'd be cooking alive.

"That we're going to meet a very strong, very old Esper," she replied, as Kaiba and Rex stopped outside what looked like a large, bronze door, "Older than I am, depending on how old I'm supposed to be." Ryou shivered. Sami was already powerful enough to begin with. She walked up to the door, and looked at it. Two dragons adorned either side, and Sami noted that they resembled Chinese dragons, not the western dragons she had become accustomed to reading of. Taking a deep breath, she held out her hand. Drawing on the traces she felt, she opened the doorway for them. For just a split second, Ryou thought he saw her hair gray. But it vanished within that second. Without another word, she walked inside.

The chamber was large, and very warm. Ryou had expected that, because it was in the very center of the volcano; they'd gone in relatively close to the crater. But the walls had been stripped of dirt. Crystals of all colors replaced the rocks and grime he expected. Light filtered through each crystal with a luminosity he hadn't seen before, either. Magic was incredibly potent here, and even he could feel it. And lying in the middle of it all was a large dragon, its scales a deep, midnight blue. It was curled up, but at the sound of an entrance, it snaked its head toward the door. Sami was the first to enter, and though he felt cowardly for it, Ryou also felt reassured by it. Sami was both a warrior and a negotiator. If she failed the latter, the former would see her through.

"…a dragon," Sami breathed, and knelt down, "An Esper."

"Welcome, Sith," the dragon said gently, though her mouth didn't move an inch, "I've been waiting for you to come. Thy name is Tiamat, the dragoness of the skies and queen of all Espers."

"It is a great honor to be in thy presence," Sami replied, holding her sword out, as was customary in a time so long ago, Ryou wondered who even taught her the gesture, "So, it is true that we're on the brink of warfare." The dragon nodded as the others entered as well. She appeared clearly amused at having such a small audience, or perhaps a large one if she only expected Sami to arrive.

"Ah, so you've come for _that_ particular reason," the dragon mused, her teeth showing in a grin, "How… unsurprising. For such a fragmented soul, dear, you are easy to understand. I should have guessed that, in the sense of danger, you would seek the Espers out." Sami blinked. That sort of response clearly wasn't what she thought she'd get. She put her sword away and stood, looking up at the dragon critically. It appeared to be in no mortal danger whatsoever, she now noted.

"Fragmented," she repeated, and snorted, "I've heard I've been called that. Tell me, then, what I must do to get these answers I seek, and if I'll receive them by saving this world again." So much for being a negotiator. Ryou began to worry. When it came to her past, and anything even remotely pointing to it, Sami became stubborn and almost unreasonable. If she got uppity with Tiamat, he could only imagine the dragon's response. No matter how calm it appeared now, Sami was still powerful enough to be a threat. It would probably kill her. But, for now, the dragon seemed calm.

"No, you will not," the dragon told her gently, "But you will come a step closer to finding the woman who has those answers." Sami knew she meant Rath. The dragon continued, "This time, you will have no help from Mystics. This time, they have summoned another portal to another world where the darkest magic exists to create balance in Oblivion. The world of Teufel. Otherwise known as the 'Hell of Oblivion." Sami's eyes hardened. She must've known of the place. Ryou glanced at her, but she didn't speak. She was shocked. Rex, slightly behind them, gasped. Hell! They were going to fight Hell!

"Hell in _Oblivion_!?" he repeated, "As in where _demons and nightmares LIVE_!?" Everyone else behind him whispered and murmured in fear, and Ryou caught Sami moving her hand to her sword. Tiamat was the only one who wasn't the least bit concerned. Considering that she was a dragon, Ryou could see why. He had read that dragons were the strongest creatures on the planet. A dragon _Esper_ must've been ten times that. Tiamat merely nodded an affirmative.

"Correct, young human," she said, amused again, "You will be encountering the inhabitants of Teufel, no doubt." Sami's eyes narrowed flatly. Now she simply seemed annoyed. Ryou was curious to know if she'd battled actual demons before.

"Wonderful. Demons and the god of darkness," she said flatly, "Just what this world needs. Who is controlling it? Do they actually have this kind of power?" Ryou almost burst out laughing. Her calmness toward this was unbelievable. Anyone else, even Katt, would've been shitting their pants. She was just _annoyed_. But then again, she was non-human, and she was speaking with Tiamat. Tiamat didn't appear afraid in the least, and her tone suggested they still had some time before hell literally broke loose.

"They do not, and I don't know who it may be," the dragon replied, "But they are attempting a very dangerous thing to take this world and destroy it. I do not believe this person wishes to let your world continue." That ruled Rath out, then. Rath made it clear she'd be controlling this world, not destroying it. But then, who _did_ that leave? Ryou's thoughts flashed to the blonde man. He talked about killing a lot. And he seemed powerful enough. Could he have done this? He was human, but was it possible?

"Is this person a Mystic?" Ryou asked, and the dragon, along with everyone else, looked at him. They had already established that it was. He could feel Sami's annoyance turned on him now. But he had to ask. They had to be sure. She could deal with her anger later. Tiamat nodded again.

"Yes," Tiamat said, "A Mystic you will know quite well, for you both have met her already." Ryou and Sami glanced at each other. Tiamat had been specific; she meant the two of _them_. But they knew so many people, it was difficult to tell which one she was speaking of. Who did only _they_ know of?

"I'm going to guess you won't tell us who," Sami said simply, crossing her arms, "Can you tell us how we can stop her before she does anything cosmically idiotic?" Ryou stared in disbelief again. He'd have thought she'd do better to have a little bit more diplomacy in her speech, but clearly Sami didn't feel like playing nice. He couldn't entirely blame her. Time was essential if this Mystic was truly so close to them. But still, it'd be nice not to have an Esper angry at them, as well as a whole nation of Mystics.

"Retrieve the five orbs of the forbidden spells and break them," Tiamat told her sternly, becoming much more serious than she'd been before, "It will release those terrible spells into Oblivion, but it will be better than to let Teufel receive them and destroy Oblivion that way." Sami had to agree with that. And she knew Domino would be the first on the target list. These Mystics wanted her _dead_. And she was living in Domino. She looked at Ryou. Mentally, he told her not to worry. But she couldn't help it. In a chain reaction, he and his friends would be slaughtered as well. He turned to Tiamat again.

"Where is this Mystic?" he asked her, "We'll kill her before she does this." He saw Sami smirk. She must not have thought he'd actually back the promise up. He ignored her. Tiamat just smiled sadly.

"Do not let your anger blind you into foolishness," she warned, "I have given you all that I know. It is up to you how you do this, lady Sith. Do be careful… and trust in _him_ to help you." Sami's eyes widened, but Tiamat spoke no further. She was glowing, her body disappearing slowly in a swirl of white lights. Ryou looked at Sami as the silence fell, with Tiamat vanishing altogether. Then, she knelt down again. Tiamat was an Esper. Tiamat treated _her_ as an equal. That meant something, but she didn't understand. Was she an Esper, too? She wished to hell she knew. She didn't know how much time passed, but after a while, she became aware that Ryou was with her, his hands on her shoulders.

"Sami, we need to go," he whispered, "The others are already leaving." Sami nodded, and stood. It was useless to dwell on this instance, but she was confused. Ryou took her arm and led her toward the doorway. She felt limp.

"…we go back and we tell Malik what happened," she said slowly, as they walked out of the chamber, the bronze doors sealing upon their exit, rocks caving to prevent further entrance inside, "And then we make way for Domino proper. If there's a Mystic, the ESB will have files on her living here." Ryou nodded. He didn't exactly trust that they'd find anything, but Sami needed to do _something_. They had no leads, and Rex wouldn't find one for some time. Warning the others right now was probably best. The only question was who would actually believe them.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

After meeting the Esper in question and finding the answers they need to continue on, Ryou and Sami now leave to warn of the danger the world could be facing. With Teufel just a step away from them, the Mystic must be close to destroying the world. Can they find her and stop her before she does so? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!


	12. I Want Some Answers

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Takahashi does, and he can't believe I made Kaiba believe in magic.

When everyone finally emerged from the crater, they'd all decided that it was best to report back to Shadi, Ishizu, and Malik and to see what each said from there. It was a good plan, except that they'd have no idea what Tiamat's meanings actually meant. She had spoken rather vaguely, never actually giving a true answer. Kaiba was generous enough to allow them all passage in his limousine, which was good. It'd give them all some time to think. Ryou looked out the window as Kaiba began to drive off. With Tiamat gone, the fog that normally obscured the summit was gone. It'd grown much colder, too. Which would be just another problem for them later. He sighed. Things would never be easy when it came to _magic_.

"We know there's someone who's foolish enough to unleash the forbidden spells and summon demons," Yami summarized, breaking the silence that drove with them, "Now we have to find this person and stop her." Sami nodded disinterestedly. That was the conclusion she'd drawn up straight from the beginning. Personally, she was tired of hearing everyone else repeating it. It was nothing new. But the only problem was, not even Tiamat seemed too sure of where this person might've been. And if an Esper didn't know, humans definitely wouldn't. She turned to Rex. He said he was a detective. Maybe he could help them further.

"You're leading this investigation," she stated, "Can you find who this asshole is?" Rex's face paled. He didn't want to tell her that he had no idea what to look for. He didn't even know if this _thing_ was in the city! For all he knew, it could've been a kindergartener playing on a swing.

"You're expecting me to work miracles here," he told her, "I don't have anything, and even if I request gadgets to help get a trace like the ones you felt, it'd take weeks to process." Sami swore under her breath. They didn't have that sort of time. The ESB popped into her head again, but she didn't want to go there if she could avoid it. Looking for a file _there_ would mean registration, and she wanted to leave as little data on herself as possible. It'd point her to Ryou, and it might put them both in death's way. Death wasn't one to sidestep, either. So much for relying on police work.

"Think you could find anything at the library?" Yugi asked, but a quick shake of Ryou's head shot down his idea.

"She already found out about the magic we're supposed to be stopping, and that was pushing it," Ryou told him seriously, "I don't think they'd keep records of people at the library, anyway." Yugi just nodded slowly. He didn't know what else to say, though. That was usually the best source of information other than the museum. And since Ryou technically owned that, he would've brought any information he had, if he had it. Sami just narrowed her eyes, looking out into the dark, dreary night. Drizzle had picked up now that the temperature on the mountain was dropping. Ice would probably be forming soon, too.

"We're better off asking a magic eight ball if it has any answers instead of going to the library," she muttered irritably, crossing her arms, "Mystics aren't stupid. They're like me; leave as little data as possible. And if they're doing something illegal, which this _really_ is, they're going to burn anything they _did_ leave. We'll be lucky if the library isn't torched yet." Considering that they'd been at the library just two hours ago, Ryou didn't see how that could've been likely. Then he thought that it was possible the Mystic got to it while they were with Tiamat. That was a decent gap of time, or so it felt. He heard Joey snickering across from them, and Sami looked at the man critically. She couldn't see what was so funny.

"Man, this feels like a murder mystery waiting to happen," he joked, "I mean, first everything's nice and quiet, and then one of you gets shot. Now it's like we're racing around trying to do two things at once! And all hell's going to break loose, too! This is just awesome!" Ryou glanced at Sami. Judging by the look on her face, she didn't find this nearly as awesome as Joey said it was. Then again, Joey had never actually faced Mystics before. Sami had. As well as demons, monsters, zombies, pretty much anything the fantasy world could've thrown at her. This _wouldn't_ have been funny to her, even if she wasn't the one going through it. She just sighed.

"I really don't see how you managed to get this far without my setting you on fire," she stated tiredly, and looked out the window again. The sky was beginning to lighten now, from pitch black to a cloud gray. Streetlights flickered a little bit. That meant whoever was doing this was losing even more power. If only she could find out who it was. She sighed. And then she noticed Ryou was watching her. She tilted her head. She could feel his worry coming through to her.

"You feeling okay?" he asked her. She nodded, and glanced out the window again. For a split second, she thought she saw the blonde man running in the distance, but when she looked again, he was gone.

"Yes, just a little concerned, I guess," she replied calmly, and then realized she was being rather vague, "What Tiamat said was really bothering me. I don't know much about Teufel, but I know enough. Ryou… if she's linking this world to that one, she might actually succeed in destroying this world." The last part, she said with a whisper. She really was afraid. Ryou frowned. As much as he knew Sami was mortal, he didn't like that she was scared. Morale was getting low enough. If _Sami_, who was their best bet here, was afraid, what would it mean to the others?

"You think Rath is doing this?" Yugi asked, and Sami glanced over at him, "I mean, think she's controlling whoever's doing this? If it's another Mystic, they've got to be talking to her, don't they?" Sami's lips thinned as she returned to the window. She really didn't know what to think. Tiamat didn't say it was Rath. If it was her, the dragon wouldn't have kept that a secret. Not unless the dragon wanted to die, too. It was all getting too complicated for her.

"…not necessarily," she said after a few long moments, "This doesn't seem like her, at least. Rath's last onslaught was carefully planned, and she wasn't just targeting Domino. She went all over the place, and she nearly conquered this continent. The only reason she failed was because Katsaiga betrayed her. But this? This is sloppy work. Whoever's doing this is having trouble just keeping a steady stream of monsters to kill us. No, I doubt Rath has anything to do with this, even if she's ordering an attack." No one said anything after that. There really wasn't much to add. The only thing that could've contradicted what Sami said was the fact that the crystal had been a direct connector to Rath. And Shadi now had the crystal. For a while, silence filled the limousine. Then, slowly, Mokuba spoke up. He looked over at Sami, the older woman still staring out the window.

"So all this crap about magic is _real_?" he asked her. She looked over, an eyebrow raised as though she couldn't even believe he'd actually ask her that. She wanted to say that it should've been obvious magic was real, but Kaiba was _right there_, and he might actually shove her out of the car. As strong as she was, she knew it'd tear her arm off if she fell out. She simply nodded.

"Of course it is," she replied sternly, "You might not believe it, but magic is one of the oldest sources of energy in the universe. Everything you see contains a certain amount of power. Even yourselves, despite not being able to actually _use_ magic. That's why it's so dangerous; if humans were to tap into too much of it, they might abuse it."

"But what about those Mystics you keep talking about?" Rex asked her critically, almost skeptically, "And what about you? Don't you all abuse magic?" Sami just smirked, shifting enough to face the man. For someone who'd been placed in the paranormal investigation unit, this should've been covered on his training course. Obviously, Domino was more skeptical than she'd thought.

"There's varying degrees of magic usage, so unless we're purposely looking to knock the balance of magic out of Oblivion, then no, we're not abusing it," she told them all, "Listen to me, because you're obviously beginning to think we're warring with an entire race. We're not. _Rath_ is the one starting this war, not the Mystics as a whole. She has a few lords to support her, but that's it. We find them, we kill them, we'll end the war. I don't want _any_ of you thinking that Mystics are evil. Katsaiga was proof that they aren't." Ryou had never heard her speak so seriously before. Then again, this was part of her _life_. Even if they didn't believe in magic, she had to. She didn't entirely have a choice unless she wanted to deny her own existence. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to convince all of them. Kaiba just snorted from the driver's seat.

"If these morons are so good, why did you have to seal your own spells up?" he asked her. Ryou's mouth dropped open. That wasn't just rude. It was absolutely insulting! And just how was Sami supposed to know that? Ryou looked at her. She didn't seem particularly disturbed, though her expression had become blank. She blinked once, and then again a minute later. Her silence was beginning to weigh on them, the tension thickening indefinitely. Then, slowly, she spoke.

"…I'm not sure I feel like answering," she said curtly, and turned to the window. Ryou glanced at Kaiba. He was watching the woman through the rear-view mirror, and he looked on the verge of laughing at her.

"You like being difficult, don't you?" he asked her, and she glanced up only fractionally, "Aren't you actually helping Rath by not answering us? It's a valid question." She shifted again, and now she looked extremely annoyed. Ryou wasn't surprised. Most people became irate after dealing with Kaiba.

"Tell me when you stop being such a condescending jackass and maybe I'll give you an answer," she replied, and Joey snorted, "Until then, _asshole_, you can deal with my being difficult. In case you haven't noticed, this isn't exactly hitting _me_ well, either, so I'd appreciate a little more time to think." Bold words considering that Kaiba was the one driving. If he became too annoyed, there was nothing stopping him from driving straight off the cliff. But he just sighed. There wasn't arguing with Sami unless he gave her ammunition to fight with. And so far, she'd used what he did give. Silence dragged on again, and as they drove closer to Domino, the rain began to clear up again. The sky also darkened, but this time it was actually a decent time to do so. It was nearly five thirty now; it was also the middle of September. The days would be shortening fairly soon. Yami whistled as he watched the scenery.

"It's getting difficult to tell what's magic and what isn't," he commented, "I'm half-expecting monsters to pop out, and it's just naturally nighttime now." Sami side-glanced at him. She wasn't looking overly interested in conversation at that point. Ryou just patted her arm. Some rest might do her good, and he hoped she could get some when they got home. They couldn't afford one worn-out warrior, and it was growing obvious that she wasn't up to this now. He looked at Yami and answered for her.

"If we're lucky, the monsters won't be coming back," he replied gently, "Remember what Tiamat said? Whoever this is doesn't have the experience to keep the power running. Sami even said the person's unskilled." He glanced at Sami again. She wasn't even paying attention anymore. He sighed. Kaiba really _did_ insult her, after all.

The car ride back into Domino went on in silence again. Without Sami giving any explanations or comments, there was very little to be said. The next most available source of information was Yami, and he was pretty sure he was dead before most of what happened in the past even transpired. And it definitely didn't help that Kaiba wanted nothing to do with the conversations, either. It was his car, and eventually no one felt welcome enough to speak on the subject. That might've explained Sami's silence more; she might've just felt threatened rather than insulted. Twice, Ryou tried asking if she was all right, but she merely waved the question away. He decided to just pretend she didn't want to talk, but something was clearly bothering her. After a while, he just kept quiet and watched everyone else. The conversations dwindled down to what Joey had seen on the news, and what Rex thought of the entire ordeal. Neither of them seemed particularly interesting.

Fifteen minutes after getting into the city, Kaiba headed west up a quiet road that eventually went from pavement to packed dirt, winding toward what seemed to be a forest. By that time, darkness had covered the city again, but the streetlights now fully worked. It was naturally nighttime, as Yami said. Ryou squinted as the limo came to a slow stop. He saw the faint outline of what appeared to be a nice, Victorian-style house, with a small backyard before it dumped right into the forest again. To the right was Malik's motorcycle. He raised a brow. Malik lived _here_? It seemed so… out of place. He was sure Malik and Ishizu would've chosen a home closer to what they grew up near. But this looked nice, too. Everyone climbed out, and Ryou led them up the steps and onto the porch. He knocked on the thick, wooden door. For a minute, he heard hushed whispers. Then the door opened, and Malik stepped out. Ryou smiled… until he saw how incredibly exhausted the younger boy looked.

"Malik, are you okay!?" Yugi asked in alarm, and Malik blinked, looking like he couldn't recognize them for a minute. Then he just smiled weakly. Even Sami seemed perturbed by his appearance. His eyes seemed red, and there were dark circles under them. He also looked a little thinner, too. Just what the hell happened to him, she wanted to ask. But she didn't. He was already waving them inside, toward the living room. It was dim, and Katt was sitting next to Bakura and Ishtar. All three of them looked worried, as they watched everyone else come inside. Sami sat down across from her sister. She knew instantly that something really wasn't right.

"What the hell happened?" she asked, when none of them made an attempt to speak. Malik just yawned widely and stretched his legs out. Katt glanced at him, and then bit her lip as she turned back to her sister.

"We were attacked by monsters when we were in Ard," she explained grimly, to which Sami wasn't surprised, "It was all Malik could do to just outrun them. He's been up for two days trying to keep a step ahead. We lost them just two hours ago." Sami's eyes narrowed critically. That was around when the monsters stopped attacking _her_ team, too. She looked at Malik and nodded sympathetically. He just grinned and gave her the thumbs-up. Bakura patted the young man on the back.

"Our magic barely works on them, either," the thief told Sami, his own tone grim as well, "We've tried calling Ishizu, but she's not explaining a damn." Sami just frowned deeply. Somehow, that didn't surprise her, either. Shadi seemed unhappy and reluctant to explain much to _her_, and Ishizu was hesitant, too. And that hardly made sense. If they wanted peace, they should've been cooperating, not hiding everything. She looked at Ishtar.

"Is your sister home?" she demanded. Ishtar's lips pursed, and slowly, he nodded. She snorted softly, and looked toward the stairs. She could hear someone moving upstairs. Which was too bad for them, because now she was just pissed.

"_ISHIZU_!" Sami screamed angrily, and she heard the woman upstairs jump in terror, "_GET YOUR EGYPTIAN ASS DOWN HERE AND ANSWER US THIS INSTANT! I'M NOT IN THE MOOD FOR YOUR GAMES!_" Ryou didn't know just what she had that made everyone want to obey her when she screamed, but she did the trick. Ishizu came hurrying down, eyes widened from the sheer fury in Sami's voice. 'Pissed' was obviously an understatement. Malik fumed when he was _pissed_, but never once had Ishizu heard the kind of outrage Sami just displayed.

"Miss Winchester, you don't need…" Sami didn't even give her the chance to finish before she stood up and pointed to a seat. There was a very venomous look on her face. There was no compromising with her now; if Ishizu didn't do as she said, Ryou was sure Sami would seriously blow a gasket.

"Sit down and tell us right now what the hell we're dealing with," the older woman growled fiercely, "No more evading our questions, no more referring to the Millennium Items, no more of this cosmic bullshit. Give us our answers or I'm tearing your damn house apart." Ishizu trembled at that point. Sami was more than able to back the threat up, and she knew no item would protect her from the woman's insane wrath. She glanced at Malik, but even he seemed to agree that her unwillingness was taking its toll. Perhaps that was because he actually fought some of the monsters they'd traced. She gulped. Her life could literally end if she didn't speak.

"We… we found a point of origin for this power," Ishizu said meekly, but Sami's anger didn't dissipate with her words, "It's a remote location, located within ten miles off the coast of the Domino bay. It's an island where Kaiba is building his new Duel Dome." Sami blinked, her lips thinning. That was going to be a problem. She looked over at Kaiba. If he owned the place, he should've known why anyone would be there, or if there was any activities at all. He looked back almost smugly, which wasn't an entirely smart thing to be doing. Sami was angry enough as it was.

"Why the hell would anyone head there?" she asked him, raising a questioning brow. He just snorted and waved her inquiry away.

"Do I look like a damn mind reader?" he retorted, "Look, I don't believe this crap, but all I know is the place should've been abandoned. I had to stop progress two months ago because one of my other projects needed immediate attention. If someone's there, I don't know about it." That didn't help them in the least. Ryou saw Sami was beginning to look concerned. If that was the case, no wonder the island was chosen as the point of origin. No one would even think to look there. _Especially_ if Kaiba owned it; he wouldn't allow trespassers. Though that answer didn't entirely help them out, it did explain to her its meaning. Someone was trying to be discreet, at the same time giving her a real threat.

"Where is this island?" Ryou asked, but Kaiba just snorted again, "I'm serious! Tell us so we can go there before she opens up Teufel!" Another snort, and Ryou just sighed. He had hoped Kaiba would've cooperated, especially with Mokuba there, but that was pushing his luck. Kaiba didn't even help when Mokuba had been kidnapped by either Pegasus _or_ the Rare Hunters. He went his own way, and magic hadn't been the sole center of those incidents. This time, Ryou had hoped he'd have realized _his own life_ was at stake too. But he obviously hadn't. For he didn't cooperate in the least.

"You honestly believe the crap dribbling out of both Ishizu's and Winchester's mouths?" he asked, and laughed, "Come on, what on earth is wrong with you people!? You really think demons are going to come and kill us? You're delusional! No, I won't be letting any of you set foot on that island." Ryou frowned, and everyone else began to glare at Kaiba. He was going to be the first major problem in this operation. Technically, they needed his permission to even get there. Ryou glanced at Sami, and his mouth dropped. She'd drawn her sword. Clearly, she was going to bully the permission out of him. And, that usually worked. She gripped Kaiba's collar, the man choking in surprise at her strength, and pulled him close to her, her pupils narrowing to slits. He could see red swimming amidst the green in her eyes.

"Then I hope you love fire," she growled, "Because you're going to burn in hell if you don't help us. And don't think I'm being religious here. Teufel's as real as I am, boy, and you're going to get us killed. So do me a damn favor for once and just pretend to humor me." Then, abruptly, she let Kaiba go. Maybe she wouldn't need to murder him. Kaiba twitched as he stumbled back, and then dusted his coat off, as though she'd actually gotten dirt on it. He looked just as angry as she did now. Ryou wasn't so sure whose side he was actually on. Sami _had_ to stop this woman, but Kaiba had a right to want his dome to be kept safe. Both of them had valid reasoning, too. But it all came down to whose argument was stronger. Right then, Kaiba felt his was.

"Humor you?" he repeated, "Winchester, you're dragging us all into warfare here. You want me to support this? The media will be up my damn ass if they get hold of this." Sami's smirk returned, and then she laughed. Everyone watched her either with mild confusion or with worry. Laughing in this situation wasn't a good sign for them; it usually meant she was beyond anger. But still, she laughed. She laughed until her glasses slid off her face, and she forced herself to wipe her tears away. The media was going to be his excuse. What a damn joke.

"You expect me to believe you're worried what the media will do?" she asked him, and snorted, turning away, "Please. The media's going to be the least of your worries if you don't let us go on. You really want to risk all of us because you can't accept the fact that magic's real, then do it on your own time. I'll _swim_ to this island myself if I need to. At this rate, I'll get it done before anyone here can get an answer from you." With that, she stormed out of the room. Ryou just blinked. That wasn't exactly what he was hoping for. Everyone was speechless for a time, before Joey finally stood up.

"Who's going with her?" he asked, and Kaiba glared at him warningly.

"Wait a damn minute! I just said…"

"Screw your rules, Kaiba," Joey growled, "World's in danger and you're going to let it end. Sami's right. We _can_ find this island faster without you. If any of you agree, I'll be outside with her." With that, he walked out of the room, too, heading out the front door. Silence followed again. This meeting was falling apart, but Ryou noticed Rex was buttoning his coat. And he was grinning, too.

"I'm heading out," he stated, "It's my job to investigate this, and I have bills to pay. Expect a warrant for obstructing justice, Kaiba." He too walked out, and this time, Bakura laughed hysterically. Kaiba's mouth just dropped. Obstructing justice!? In his mind, he was protecting his right to private property! It didn't help when Mokuba jumped out of his seat and exclaimed that he was going, too. That's when Kaiba snapped.

"Absolutely not!" Kaiba roared furiously, his brows creasing, "I don't give a shit for Wheeler, Winchester, or that Raptor loser, but you are _not going_!" Mokuba just scowled, crossing his arms. This was one argument he'd be winning. He normally sided with Kaiba, but this time, his brother was being unreasonable.

"I'm fourteen, Seto," he argued, as though that were a good enough reason to go, "Sami's been adventuring since _she_ was my age, and she's really strong! I'll be careful!" Kaiba just gritted his teeth. He _definitely_ didn't want to put Mokuba's care into Sami's hands. True, she was a warrior, but she wasn't nearly as good a caretaker. The fact that they'd nearly died once already under her care proved it. Finally, though, Yami intervened. Ryou smiled; if anyone could've convinced Kaiba, it was the old pharaoh.

"Let him come," the spirit said, "Sami and I will protect him." Kaiba just glared, and Ryou frowned. Sami wasn't a reassurance at all, and Yami wasn't much better. But in the end, Kaiba agreed. Mokuba wouldn't have backed down, anyway. Quickly, he wrote down the directions for the island and handed them to the old spirit. But, he also handed a warning as well.

"If he's hurt, I'm going to kill both you and Winchester," he growled, "I don't care which dies first, but one of you will." Yami didn't even appear to be phased. Ryou decided now would be a good time to end it and just head out before Kaiba actually acted on his words.

"Enough. Let's head out before the others leave," Ryou said, "Anyone have anything else they'd like to add?" He looked at Katt as he said this. No one else had spoken since Rex left, and he wanted to make absolutely sure they all chose what they wanted. Katt just bit her lip. She was worried, and probably torn between the decision. It'd have been nice to have her, Ryou admitted honestly. She was a better healer than Sami.

"We'll stay here and make sure that demons don't come into the city," she replied, and inwardly, Ryou cursed, "If Teufel does get linked, someone needs to protect the city while you guys go and investigate the island. It's…" A loud smash interrupted Katt, momentarily dimming the lights in the house. Everyone looked outside, and Ryou heard the wind howling, shutters banging against the windows loudly. Then he heard a clap of thunder. Something was happening. He rushed to the door and threw it open.

"Move out!" he shouted, and Mokuba, Yami, and Yugi followed him. They ran onto the porch, and saw Rex and Joey were shielding their eyes from the storm as Sami struggled to get down the stairs. The wind was horrendous; Ryou could see a tree nearly uprooted from it. In the distance, the forest swayed backwards, and he was worried all of the trees would snap apart. Slowly, carefully, he made his way to Sami. She was trying to look into the storm. He did the same. The sky had actually turned purple now, a key indicator that whoever had summoned the store beforehand had regained their power. Which meant even more magic would be coming next. He sighed. Then he felt Sami take his hand.

"You scared?" she whispered. Slowly, he nodded, and she said, "Good. It shows you've got some brains after all. Come on." She tugged his arm and moved down a step, but he didn't budge. She looked back. He was staring at her as though he were evaluating her sanity again. She sighed. They didn't have time for this. "Are you coming?"

"You're going _out there_!?" he cried, "Sami, I love you, but that's insane! You're going to be killed!" Sami just sighed again. She let go and looked at him seriously.

"Ryou, I know this is hard for you to understand, but I think I'd rather die trying to save this world than die knowing I didn't do anything," she replied sternly, "Now stop stalling and let's go." Ryou muttered under his breath. He wanted to save his world as much as she did, but the thought of death was halting him. He didn't particularly want to die. But he caved. He wanted to help her, so he followed her down the steps and onto the sidewalk. It was slick with rain. But it didn't slow Sami down in the least. Ryou just wasn't surprised with that, and quickly, he walked to catch up to her. Whatever she was going to do to get to Kaiba's island, he wanted to hear.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

After unsuccessfully obtaining a little bit of information from Ishizu and Kaiba, now Ryou and his friends need to find a way to the abandoned island and see what's going on there. With another storm just breaking in, monsters could be swarming to Domino any minute. What is Sami's move for getting to the island? And will the Mystic succeed in summoning a link to the world, Teufel? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!


	13. All Men go to Hell

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Takahashi does, and he doesn't approve of Ryou going to hell.

Ryou couldn't tell where Sami was heading. She seemed to stop randomly, look down, and then begin walking again. She did this four times, and soon, it began to get annoying. Ryou would've complained, but he knew she was looking for something. Perhaps it was a clue, but he couldn't see what she could've been trying to find. The wind had tempered a bit to a moderate level, and everyone else started following the two of them. But they were still a ways away. And abruptly, Ryou began to notice that Sami was sniffing the air again. She _smelled_ something. Was it more magical traces?

When she stopped for the fifth time, Sami frowned. Ryou stopped alongside her, and they both glanced at each other. Without even speaking, Sami seemed to say that something wasn't right. Ryou nodded in silent agreement, and they both looked at the ground. Maybe it was to think, or perhaps they'd alerted each other to their movements, but both found what Sami had been looking for. Indeed, it was a trace of magic. At first, a fine spray seemed to come from the ground, but as Sami stood and watched, Ryou saw that spray thicken into a white, patchy mist that began to extend upwards and around, obscuring his view slightly. He could just barely see Yugi running toward them. The smaller boy must've seen the mist coming up, too. The mist continued to thicken, and soon Ryou had a hard time even seeing Sami, who was right next to him. But he heard her mumble something. Was she casting a spell? His nose twitched, but he just couldn't tell what energy was her and what wasn't. It all felt the same.

"Where the heck's all this fog coming from?" Joey asked, his voice sounding uncomfortably distant, "Yami, did you call up the Shadow Realm or something!?" Ryou heard Sami chuckle. He looked to his left, where her voice had come from. But he could just barely see her outline; he managed to see her tail whip the ground behind her.

"Looks like this 'friend' of ours is getting stronger," she commented, "This mist's pretty thick. We're probably lucky we're not dead yet." Somehow, her words weren't comforting. Ryou didn't even know if that's what she was aiming for. He saw her move faintly. But just where was she headed? He couldn't even see which way she was facing.

"How long do we have until we're royally screwed?" Rex called in the distance, and Ryou heard Sami sigh heavily. She closed her eyes, and Ryou felt her tapping into some form of magic. The amount of strength she had was staggering! He could now see why she was able to do half the things she could. Then Ryou realized something was very wrong. He had never sensed her using magic before. He glanced around, wondering if anyone else felt it, too. He wished the fog would thin; he couldn't see _anything_ now. The mist was way too thick.

"No idea! This fog's too much. I can't sense anything!" Sami called back after several minutes. Rex hummed, and then they all heard a loud thud, followed by an equally loud curse from Joey. Ryou snorted. Joey had just managed to slam into the limousine. He felt around for the door, but couldn't find the handle. Mokuba attempted to help him, feeling around where he heard Joey smack into. He managed to find the handle. And as soon as he touched it, he was jolted with electricity. Stumbling back, he screeched in surprise. Ryou saw Sami's outline rush forward. She began to look a little clearer now, but the further she ran, the blurrier she looked. Ryou quickly followed her.

"Damn it!" Mokuba hissed, scrambling as another bolt struck the ground near him, "What the hell!? Who's aiming at me!?" Sami reached to help him, and pulled him behind her as she muttered one word and put a barrier over them as another bolt slammed into them. Ryou screeched to a stop, and noticed a significant change now. He actually _saw_ her with no difficulty. The lightning was actually clearing the mist! Her eyes darted across the scene, as though just noticing this for herself, and she looked at Yami. He seemed equally as perplexed.

"The mist," she whispered, and he nodded, "This lightning is clearing it?"

"I'm getting the sense that this Mystic isn't the only one here," he replied seriously, "Sami, do you smell any other magic?" Sami tilted her head. That was pretty much a given, and she couldn't see the point of him even asking her that. But she closed her eyes anyway. And quickly realized what he was getting at. One eye opened, looking at him squarely.

"Opposing magic," she told him, "Someone else is trying to… help us? But why is he shooting _at us_?" She closed her eyes again, and they waited in anticipation. It took several more minutes before she said, "Someone's trying to help us out, but he doesn't realize what he's doing! He's widening the magical field around us!!" Her eyes flew open as another yellow bolt of lightning zapped the ground before her. Her voice had become so fearful, everyone scattered. Ryou pulled her out of the way, and the bolt barely reflected off of her shield.

"Sami, what do you mean the field's widening!?" he asked, but she didn't answer. She was staring up at Malik's roof. Ryou followed her gaze. And nearly screamed. The blonde man was there, and Ryou felt the source of lightning coming from him. But he looked at Sami for just a minute before looking toward the far north, toward another figure very far away. He aimed his Winchester gun and fired; instead of a bullet, lightning shot out. But it was purely magical. It smashed into the air, but the force was so devastating that it ripped a hole into nothingness. Ryou couldn't believe it. They were staring right into Oblivion!

"_STOP!_" Sami screamed, and the blonde man looked down at her, "Please, stop! You don't understand! You're…" She didn't finish. A black bolt of lightning slammed into her and Yami, sending them flying and smashing right into the car windows. Both slid onto the ground, Sami leaving a trail of sickly blue blood as Yami left a trail of red. It pooled on the ground between them.

"_SHIT!_" Joey screamed, as he and Ryou rushed to help Sami up. Yugi and Mokuba were working on Yami. Both had been knocked out cold. And both were severely wounded. Ryou held Sami close, looking up for the blonde man. But he was gone now. He ran away. Ryou cursed. He promised himself that if he ever saw him, he'd murder the man. And he let him get away. Distantly, he heard Rex order Joey and Mokuba aside.

"Are they all right!?" Rex asked worriedly, running over to him, "Damn it, they need medical attention. Who the hell _aimed_ that!?" He looked up in the sky. Whatever Ryou and Sami saw beforehand was gone. But the tear into Oblivion remained. Rex stared at it. A tear into _Oblivion_ was right there. Into that very void Tiamat spoke of. They were too late. Inadvertently, the blonde man blew open the link they were trying to avoid. And now that very link was sending whirls of wind everywhere, even more powerful than before. Dirt was being ripped right from the ground, and Rex heard trees cracking in the distant forest. They wouldn't live if they stayed out here.

"It's not safe! We have to get them inside!" Joey cried, and began to run back to Malik's house. He had to get help. Katt would be able to heal them… but as Joey reached the steps to the house, black lightning smashed him as well, and he fell to the ground. Mokuba screamed again as the wind dragged Joey toward where the tear was, and Rex grabbed Joey's wrist. He certainly wasn't being paid enough for this now.

"_Everyone inside!_" he screamed, "Hold onto each other, and make for the house! Most importantly, _don't let go!_" That was easier said than done, though. Mokuba took Joey's other wrist, using his other hand to grab the railing to the porch. Rex reached out to Ryou, who grabbed his hand, as Yugi took Sami's arm, keeping a tight grip on Yami was well. But it wasn't helping. The railing was ripped off, and Mokuba slipped, nearly letting go of Joey. Rex's plan wasn't working in the least.

"It's too much!" Yugi screamed over the wind, "We need Katt! We need someone to close the portal!" Ryou saw movement out of his eye, and he turned. The blonde man was falling into the portal, shooting at something as he did. The gunshots were muffled, but what he was trying to hit, Ryou didn't see. Ryou felt his stomach drop. As much as he hated the man, he couldn't stand to know the man might die now. It'd devastate Sami, too, if she ever woke up. Unconsciously, he stood up and let go of Rex. Which was a mistake. He meant to call the man, but instead, he realized too late what he'd done. Yugi screamed as he, Sami, and Yami were swept into the tear, and Ryou barely heard Rex yelling at him in fury. Ryou turned, and tried to reach Rex again, but he was swallowed up by the wind too quickly as well. They were losing an uphill battle against the elements.

"_SHIT!_" Rex screamed, knowing now that their attempts were utterly futile, "Mokuba, hang onto your pants and don't piss in them!" Mokuba just shivered, realizing with certainty what Rex meant. They were going into Oblivion. Nothing would be stopping them. He closed his eyes, wishing Kaiba were there so he wouldn't feel so terrified. But Kaiba was still inside. Mokuba finally regretted insisting that he go; he wanted to live. And he suddenly felt the pull of the mighty, angry wind as he, Rex, and Joey were thrown right into Oblivion.

Ryou didn't know just how long he laid, facedown on the cold pavement. It must've been some time, because it darkened considerably. He forced himself up, and looked around. Wherever he was, he couldn't recognize it. Clearly, he was on a road, but there were no houses. There were no trees, and only one streetlamp, an old, cast iron one that he would've found in an older time. It was burning brightly. Then he felt something slide slightly down his arm, and saw Sami. She was covered in blood; blue blood. Ryou's eyes widened, and gently, he felt the bandana in his hair. It was sticky. He winced. Her clothes were covered in blood, too. No doubt, his clothes probably had her blood on them. It was frightening to see, and what happened came rushing back into his head. She'd been struck with lightning and sent hurtling into a glass window. Its shards cut into her as she slid down to the ground. And now she might be dead.

"Oh my god… Sami, wake up," he urged gently, shaking her as lightly as possible, "Sami, you need to get up. Please!" But she didn't awaken. He let go. _Dead_, he thought to himself, _she's dead now_. He stared at her. Now he just felt strangely detached. How could she just have died so easily? So suddenly? It _couldn't_ be! Ryou shook his head. She couldn't have died just like that! No, it wasn't true! Ryou's eyes filled with tears. It just wasn't true! But with her body lying in his lap, what else could he think? He sensed no life. He couldn't even see her chest rising and falling with her breath. She had to be dead. The tears fell. He let her die. He didn't even do anything; he just held her and_ wished_ he did more. He disgusted himself! He even wished he'd died instead. Then the world would've had a chance.

"_Ryou!_" a voice called, breaking him out of his self-berating. He turned. It was Yugi, carrying Yami on his back. He looked ridiculous, of course, but he was clearly okay. And Yami was alive, miraculously. At least _one_ of them survived the crash. Yugi smiled, and then came to a stop. Then his mouth dropped open at the sight of Sami, and he asked, "What happened to her!?" Ryou sniffled, clutching a lock of her black hair. It was matted with blood.

"Dead," he said, emptily, "She's… dead. She's really… dead." Yami opened his eyes, and Yugi set him down. He bent toward Ryou, who shook his head again. Then he broke down. She wasn't responding. He doubted she even was breathing. Just like that, Sami was dead. The woman who'd been there for him for two years, the woman who'd saved his life, the woman he was going to propose to… was dead. All it took was one bolt of lightning to snuff her life out.

"What do we do?" Yami asked Yugi, who shook his head. He motioned for the old spirit to be quiet, to let Ryou go through what he was going through. Yami just bit his lip. If he didn't do anything soon, Ryou would go into shock.

"She's dead… she's dead," Ryou kept whispering, eyes widened as the tears fell, "She's dead… dead…" Yami took a deep breath. As much as he didn't like having to try reviving someone, he had to do something. They wouldn't be able to get out if Ryou was this out of it. That, and Sami couldn't have been dead. She just couldn't be. Yami closed his eyes, placing a hand on Sami's forehead. He felt an incredible wave of energy rush through his arm toward her. Likewise, he felt a returning wave of pain and nausea; most likely what she was feeling, or had felt if she was dead. He took his hand away, and waited. The effect of his spell didn't take long. He smiled. He knew she hadn't died.

"…shit," Sami growled, "Feels like a truck rammed me into the ground." Slowly, she sat up and looked around, her head swimming. Everything felt warped and wobbly. And then she remembered what happened. Considering the circumstances, that might've been the case. Slowly, her vision returned to normal, and she saw where she currently stood. Or sat. The sky was a dark gray, and a long, dark road stretched from the north to the south in a single, unbroken line. Gray grass grew along both sides of the road, and the only thing adorning such a lonely street was a single, old, cast-iron lamp. Her lips pursed. Then she heard Ryou calling her. At first, she couldn't recognize him; she had trouble remembering her own name due to the blow to the head she'd taken.

"Sami! You're alive!" he exclaimed, hugging her, "Oh, thank god! Thank all the gods! I thought that blast killed you! There was all of this blood and…"

"Ryou, be quiet," she said grimly, and he fell silent, feeling slightly rejected by her, "Let me think… let me think…" Her voice trailed off, and the amount of concern caused Ryou to begin to worry. It finally dawned on him where they might've been. Which meant that the Mystic might've already leveled Domino.

"Sam, do you know where we are?" Yugi asked, looking up and down both sides of the road. Either way seemed endless. Sami looked up at him and nodded grimly, noticing that Rex and Mokuba were coming down the road, carrying a dizzy, but conscious Joey with them.

"…yes," she replied, sounding almost a little confused now, "It appears… that we're in Winbourne." Everyone looked at her. That definitely wasn't the answer any of them were expecting. Not that they expected to be in Domino, either. They clearly saw and felt the tear that had swallowed them into wherever this world was. But… they had never heard of a world called Winbourne. Then again, before Tiamat, they'd never heard of Teufel, either. Hell, before Sami, they never even knew that where their world sat was in a void called Oblivion. Yugi glanced at Ryou, and then back to Sami.

"Sami… don't you mean we're in _Teufel_?" he asked her pointedly, and she shook her head. Ryou had a huge feeling he'd hate this next explanation. And he found to his dismay that he was on the dot.

"No, we're definitely in Winbourne," she replied calmly, almost amused, "Teufel's desolate and there's literally _nothing_ there but the god of darkness himself, and the few demons he has as his servants. This place isn't… desolate, even if it's a little… empty." She looked around again. Empty wasn't the best word to describe where they were; the only thing keeping the place from being _desolate_ was the one, lone road they happened to be standing on. And the streetlamp. But there was no city to be seen for some time. Rex blinked profusely, and then snorted. Then he just laughed.

"Are you saying we're not even in Teufel!?" he asked, threatening to burst out in laughter, "That _idiot_ of a Mystic didn't even get the _right world_!?" Sami grinned and nodded.

"No," she replied slyly, "She didn't. That's good for us, too. The god of darkness doesn't particularly like visitors, and he really hates humans. I guess this means we get to live a little longer." She finally stood up. Whatever confidence she did have slowly began to fade as she tried to look out into the distance, tried to find some semblance of where they should go next. She'd heard of Winbourne… but she'd never actually been here before. All that lay before them on every side was grassland, and the long, dark road that stretched to nowhere. She wondered if it even mattered which way they went.

"So how do we leave?" Mokuba asked her. She looked down at him. Obviously, he didn't understand what nervousness looked like. She looked down both sides of the road again. Just like before, they stretched on and on endlessly, until the road vanished over the horizon. And, there was nothing for miles to see. She turned back to them, and shrugged easily.

"Looks like there's only one way to go from here," she said, "So let's choose a way and see where we end up. If we're lucky, this won't take us to hell." Ryou twitched. He didn't think Sami should've been so calm about this, but she didn't appear the least bit disturbed that they couldn't go anywhere. But at least she'd have a clear head if something bad happened. And he just had this feeling that something bad would happen. Something always did. Likewise, no one else seemed the least bit convinced for their safety, either.

"Tell me you're joking here!" Rex exclaimed, as Joey cried, "I can't die yet! I still have to kick Kaiba's ass!" Sami raised a skeptical brow as she looked at them. In her mind, they shouldn't have been worrying so much. They weren't dead _yet_, though she had a feeling that'd change if they didn't settle down. She didn't particularly like crybabies, especially since there were things they could still do. Like look for a town or some sign of civilization. She knew there had to be one _somewhere_.

"Would you all shut up and let me think!?" she snapped, brows creasing in agitation, "You're acting like we're dying here! Look, we all die at some point, but now's not that point. Just give me a damn minute before you start freaking out." Ryou just snorted, and Joey bit his lip, ceasing his cries of terror at once. But, Rex wasn't nearly as cooperative. He'd never actually worked with Sami before, so he had no idea just how impatient she was. It didn't help that he was stubborn as hell, too.

"But we still have things to do _in our world!_" Rex argued angrily, and Sami sighed, "We can't stay _here_! Besides, even if we don't have demons here, there's _nothing_! Grass and pavement! That's all we got!" He stomped on such pavement to prove his point. But Sami didn't buy it. She stared at him flatly. Ryou saw her hand move to the hilt of her sword, and he silently prayed she wouldn't kill Rex. Arguing with her wasn't a good reason to murder. But then, as he looked around, he wondered just who would've actually convicted her. No one aside from them would know, and if push came to shove, Sami might murder _them_, too. Damned crazy wench, she was.

"I don't know how many ways to spell this: we're not dying yet. I'm sure there's some city we can get help from," she said, getting more and more irritated with each word, "I've heard a train winds through Winbourne. So do me a favor, shut that mouth of yours, and _let me figure this out_!" Rex just huffed and turned away. He didn't like being talked to that way, and he wished even more that they were back in Domino. He could've had Sami arrested for civil disobedience. Sami looked back down the road, seeming to wait for something. But whatever it was, Ryou couldn't see.

"So, when does the train come?" Yami asked, when several silent minutes passed. Sami's lips thinned. She didn't give him an answer. Technically, there was no set time; the train came when it came, and no one ever kept a track on it. As if to answer the old spirit, a horn sounded in the distance. But no one could tell just how far away it was. Ryou waited alongside Sami, and soon they heard the chugging of the engine, the screeching of old wheels. They looked at each other. The train was closer. Then, lights blinded them from one end of the road, and the roaring grew louder. They screamed, and everyone jumped away just as the train began to rumble to a loud stop. The horn whistled, and slowly, the door opened up. Ryou squinted his eyes. The train was black; it faded into the gray sky, which explained why they couldn't see it beforehand. Dim lights spilled from the windows. If Ryou ever saw a haunted train, that had to be it.

"That piece of shit nearly hit us!" Mokuba yelled angrily, as Sami boarded, "Are you crazy!? We can't go in there!" Sami just ignored him, and she turned a corner and disappeared from sight. Ryou stepped up into the doorway.

"We've got nowhere else to go," he reminded them, "It's either this or we stay outside." That was enough to convince everyone else, who didn't want to be anywhere near the outdoors now. They rushed into the first car. It looked peaceful enough. Red velvet booths lined the car, with pale pink curtains hanging in the windows. The tables were made of rough oak, and the dim light was caused by the candles set into the wall. It had an older atmosphere to it that Ryou felt suited Sami in some odd way. He found her already sitting in a booth closest to the door, which slammed shut when they were all safely inside.

"What the hell?" Joey yelped, bumping into Yami when he scrambled away from the door. Sami chuckled.

"Ghosts are my first guess for that one," she mused. Joey's skin paled. He'd never seen ghosts before, but he'd watched enough horror movies with Tristan to know that he hated all form of undead. Which consisted of zombies, vampires, wraiths, ghouls, phantoms, banshees, and ghosts. He cursed. That was just great news for him.

"You're saying there are _ghosts_ on this train?" he questioned, "As in, those creepy sheet monsters you expect to see on Halloween?" Sami narrowed her eyes. Obviously, Joey had never dealt with a _real_ ghost before. As usual, she had the misfortune to know what ghosts actually were; the essences of dead people as well as a pain in the ass.

"Technically speaking, ghosts are the essences of the dead condensed into an incorporeal form," she replied easily, casually, "And yes, there are ghosts here. Winbourne, if I can remember, is a world full of demonic races and dark magic. Much like Teufel is, but of a lesser degree, and much bigger in size. I just hope my sword's enough to cut them all down." Ryou's eyes widened when Sami slid her sword from her belt. It was already gaining a small, purple aura on the blade. The last time she used it was in a civilian area; he hoped the sword could actually tell the difference between a major threat and a minor one. And if it couldn't, then Ushio had been extremely lucky.

"Whoa, put that thing away!" Rex hissed, dropping his notebook, "We're going into civilian territory! You know brandishing a weapon could be the grounds for assault! That's going to land you in prison!" Sami just looked at Rex flatly again. Ryou guessed that she wasn't too afraid of going to prison. Not that there was a prison to put her in. Even if they got out of Winbourne, Domino might be destroyed when they returned anyway. She waved his worries away.

"What prison am I possibly going to go to?" she asked him, "If you haven't noticed, we're in the middle of nowhere. There's not a damn prison to be found." And she left it at that. Rex found he couldn't even argue, because she happened to be right. There _was_ nothing he could do. She glanced out the window and said, "Now, putting that problem aside, we need to figure out what to do next. If this train's haunted, we can't just assume there's an actual conductor. So… does anyone know how to drive a train?" This time, everyone looked at her like she was insane… again. Ryou could understand if she asked for _assistance_ in driving this train, but asking if anyone actually knew was pushing it. Hardly any of them even knew how to drive a car.

"I thought you said you knew how to fly ships!" Rex exclaimed, throwing his arms up, "Are you telling me you don't even know how to _drive_!?"

"I _know_ how to drive. I just don't have a license to prove it," she retorted, and leaned back in her seat, "So I can _probably_ drive this piece of shit, but I really don't want to wreck it and have the thing blow up in my face." Considering that that's what happened the last time she piloted a ship, Ryou could see why she'd ask for help now. It suddenly made him realize that he should've been counting his lucky stars that she hadn't totaled his car yet. He glanced at Rex. The cop was watching Sami like she might've been planning to do something insane; his eyes had hardened and he had a hand on what looked like the holster for a pistol.

"You're an idiot for telling me you don't even have a license," he growled, "I'm going to let it pass because there's nothing I can do anyway. So, putting that aside, it looks like our primary problem is getting to the controls. I hate to ask, but you do have a way to do this, right?" Sami just snorted. Rex didn't even need to ask that question. She nodded and pointed to the far end of the car, where a door sat to the outside. They could see the tracks rushing by underneath the car; currently, they were weaving around a mountainside.

"It's a simple concoction, if you ask me," she said, a sly grin forming on her face, "We go to the end of the car, pass by, and keep going until we get to the front. And if anything gives us a problem, I chop their damn heads off." Rex's eyes narrowed even further. That wasn't exactly what he considered a _good plan_. It wasn't even a plan, at that. He turned to Yami, silently begging the old spirit to do something. If anyone could put this situation into perspective, it was him. Yami sighed. He understood a request when he saw it. He leaned away from the wall, clearing his throat so Sami would look up at him.

"As much as your idea would work, just be serious about it," he said, but before he could continue, Sami stopped him.

"I _am_ being serious," she interjected, her voice becoming frustrated, "Believe it or not, this isn't that hard. We go on. The only problem is the ghosts, and if we're lucky, I can take them out by myself." Ryou's eyes fell on her sword again. He'd seen her skill in combat already. The ghosts would _have_ to be pretty strong to take Sami down. But, they were also in a world where dark magic reigned supreme. He didn't even know if Sami's magic would have any effect. And she clearly didn't seem to worry about that. And if they were in a world full of demons, she ought to be. He frowned. She never seemed to worry enough.

"And what if you can't?" he asked her softly. She looked at him, and her grin faded. He looked gravely concerned. Rex and Joey were just whining, but Ryou was genuinely afraid. And she took that seriously. It dawned on her that not everyone was as cynical about magic as Rex.

"If I can't… then we'll have to run fast and hard," she replied just as sadly, "But the basic plan is really that simple. So unless you have any alternatives, you have ten minutes before I open that door and do some ghost busting." Ryou closed his mouth. He wanted to tell her that he didn't want her fighting again, but he knew that if she didn't, Rex would have to. And he knew a standard gun wouldn't do anything to ghosts. He doubted any department would issue magic-infused bullets for an investigation.

"Why only ten minutes?" Mokuba asked her, as she stood up and walked a little toward the back of the train. She glanced over her shoulder. Her sly smile appeared again.

"Because that's how long it's going to take before I get agitated enough to leave you all here," she replied, and continued down toward the end of the train. Ryou just sighed. He should've known that Sami's time limit was to give her a peace of mind. He looked at his group of friends. Joey and Rex were already murmuring about the time limit she just set. Yugi, of course, didn't have a problem. He trusted Sami's judgment. Yami was looking out the window, pretending to be deciding even though Ryou knew his decision had been made. And Mokuba was just excited to be doing _something_. Ryou himself just sat next to Sami. He had mixed feelings over what to do next. But in the end, he knew it'd come down to their survival. And with _that_, he definitely trusted Sami. This was the same woman who'd been fighting what she labeled as _evil magic_ for years now. Now Ryou would get to see just a scope of the evil she'd been battling. He just smiled when she gave him a questioning look. And then she left it at that.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

Right before they can leave for the island, Ryou and his friends are thrown into what they thought was Teufel. When they discover that the Mystic couldn't even link the right world, they now must find a way out in order to continue. Can they stop the train, or will it take them to depths unknown? And will getting there really be as easy as Sami said it is? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!


	14. Drive the Soooooooul Train

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Takahashi does, and this chapter was partly inspired by Final Fantasy VI, which is owned by SquareSoft.

In the minds of normal humans, ten minutes didn't seem long enough to come up with a plan that'd save them from hours of needless battle. But in Sami's mind, who at this point was pissed to admit she wasn't human, ten minutes registered as an eternity of boredom. She sat in the booth with Ryou and waited, watching as their friends murmured and discussed, plot and plan. But it didn't do any good. None of them were particularly knowledgeable in trains _or_ ghosts, Sami included. As it was, the ghosts inside the train were already getting curious about the newcomers on their home. They began popping in, wandering around, and generally spreading a feeling of complete and utter unease through everyone. Some tried poking to get attention, but when one came too close to Sami, she sliced its hand off as though it were actually human. The ghosts got the message after that, and most just left her alone. For a second, Ryou wondered if she actually solved their ghost problem.

"Can't we come up with _anything_?" Joey asked, when no one had said anything for nearly five minutes. The only idea they'd come up with was sneaking _under_ the train, but Ryou had disproved that by reminding Mokuba about how physics worked, and that if they even attempted it, the sheer velocity at which the train was traveling would either kill or smear them across the tracks. And, as much as the plan promised a quiet escape… or death, more likely, Ryou had no intention of being murdered by a vehicle. Sami actually managed to laugh when he explained this, and they all turned to her. She didn't say anything to either prove or deny Ryou's explanation. She merely found it funny. Taking her sword in her lap, she ran a finger up the blade lovingly. Ryou winced when he saw it actually made a cut on her. She didn't notice it.

"I still say we run down the train and kill anyone who gets in the way," she told them, "With such little space already, the only thing we can do is get up, close, and personal with our problems. Besides, fire works effectively well on ghosts. If I light one, they'll probably leave us all alone." Ryou looked at her critically. That might've been true, but the fact that they had _such little space already_ was key. If she went too overboard, she'd kill them. Which would then destroy their world.

"…I really don't think you're going to want to do that. If you light a fire, you're going to ignite the entire train!" Ryou reminded her, and when she gave him an 'and?' kind of look, he added, "You'll kill _us_, too." Sami looked down.

"…oh yeah," she said, and her brows creased, "Damn it, I could use a drink right now." Ryou glared at her again. Right then, in a crisis like that, alcohol wasn't exactly a good way to be making decisions. He just sighed and shook his head. Sami obviously wasn't going to help them out now. Likewise, Rex just snorted and wrote something on his notebook. Ryou wasn't so sure it wasn't a warning of some kind, though asking for a drink wasn't illegal. But fighting while intoxicated _had_ to be, and Rex didn't actually search to see if Sami wasn't carrying anything on her. He put his notebook away, and then looked up as the roof rattled from the wind. That's when he saw the trapdoor. And grinned. That was something none of them even suggested, and it seemed to be the best plan of action. He pointed up.

"Anyone feeling like raising the roof?" he asked. Sami gave a questioning look as Ryou looked to where Rex was pointing. The ladder was a bit old, but Joey tested it by throwing himself at it to see if it'd break. It held. Which, considering Joey's strength, was a miracle. Ryou looked over at Sami. It wasn't that he didn't trust Rex's judgment, but he also worked with Sami to save his world before, and he tended to want her opinion before doing much of anything. Especially if anything could've gotten him killed. Since they were dealing with a world full of demons, he was sure anything would get him killed.

"Do you think it's safe?" he asked her. She looked at the ladder closely, looking for any signs of cracks or breaks within the wood. It withheld the years amazingly well. She turned back and gave the thumbs-up.

"We probably won't die if we climb up," she replied easily, "Of course, that's not to say we won't fall off if we have to fight on the roof." Ryou's eyes flashed warningly, and everyone else stared at her wide-eyed, wondering just why she felt that would actually assure any of them. She just shrugged, ignoring their unease, and climbed up the ladder herself.

The blustery rain and chilling wind were stark contrasts to the warmth and cozy atmosphere of the interior of the car. Ryou found himself shivering, and was only partly relieved to see he wasn't the only one doing so; everyone except for Sami and Yami were freezing cold. The two in question, however, didn't appear to have been affected by it. They were considering the rooftop. It was wet, and Sami was stressing that she was concerned that they'd slip if they tried to go too quickly. Yami agreed, too, but they couldn't find a way to absorb the water. Neither had a spell that would allow that. Ryou struggled to get to Sami's side. She glanced back just a second to acknowledge him.

"What's the status?" he asked her. He noted that she looked worried now. She pointed down the train, and Ryou found he couldn't even see the front car. Just how far back was it?

"Roof's slippery, so we have to be careful," she told him, though they both knew that was redundant, considering the weather, "Chances are, the controls are in the engine car. We can't see it from here, the train's too damn long, but we should be able to get there. Let's go. The quicker we are, the better." Ryou nodded, and turned back to gesture for the others to follow them. Sami led the way across the roof, and Ryou found her worry to be very warranted. The rain was making the trip hard enough; the wind caused many of them to slide around, their weight being too little to provide enough gravity to not be swept away. Sami ended up using a tiny chunk of her power casting a spell just to keep them from being knocked onto the tracks below. Finally, though, within a few gruesomely long minutes, they managed to make it to the edge of the train. And they managed to find their first problem, which consisted of crossing the gap.

"Um… Sam? You got a spell to fix _this_?" Joey asked, as Sami turned and saw that ghosts were starting to come onto the roof after them. She blasted three of them with lightning, and then turned to see what Joey was talking about. And she cursed angrily. The gap was over ten feet wide. No human in existence would jump that, and she couldn't carry _all_ of them and not get caught in the rush of undead. She'd have to use more magic.

"Elatch du Zellos!" she screamed in what Ryou _hoped_ was Esper language, "Damn it all, we're going to have to jump across and hope we make it." She didn't need to look back to know that everyone behind her was staring at her. And then came the question she expected all too often.

"_ARE YOU INSANE!?_" Rex yelled, aiming his gun and firing three shots at a ghost, which missed entirely, "We can't cross that to save our skin!" Sami, as usual, didn't like being questioned. She gave the would-be detective a flat stare, and grabbed Ryou's wrist.

"You're just going to have to _trust me_," she said, and jumped over the gap, pulling Ryou with her. He screamed, and then felt energy propelling him over the impossible gap, leaving only when he touched the roof of the next car. Likewise, when he opened his eyes, he saw Sami was already working on carrying the others with her magic.

"Holy crap, we actually _lived through that_!?" Joey exclaimed, "Dude, that's sweet!" Sami just nodded, but her face went grim again. Ryou saw that the ghosts were trying to cross the gap as well. And they were succeeding. Sami knocked some down with a fireball as Yami sent out waves of energy from his puzzle. But it didn't appear to be doing much of anything; more just kept coming.

"Sons of bitches!" she growled, and Ryou nearly reeled at her language, "All right, let's go before they try possessing us. I don't want to deal with that _again_." Ryou and Yami looked particularly disturbed with her remark, but they continued on. The train rounded a bend, and both Yami and Joey had to keep grips on Mokuba and Yugi before they slipped off. Sami took the rear now to protect them from the onslaught of ghosts, and she held up well. Fire, as she said, seemed to be the most effective spell against them, and she seemed to have a never-ending supply of it. They went out like lights, and the death count kept rising as she backed up toward the end of the second car. She was glad to find she didn't need to tell them to jump again, this time the gap being small enough to clear.

"_FREEDOM!_" Joey roared, picking Mokuba up and flying across. Rex, Ryou, Yami, and Yugi followed his lead, and Sami impaled another ghost with her sword before leaping across, her wings flapping to guide her against the wind. She landed, and flew down the ladder; holes dotted the roof of the train, and she didn't trust it to not cave in. Unfortunately, she found her next problem.

"What's wrong?" Rex asked, when he went down and found her nearly breaking the door right off its hinges. Any longer, and she might've succeeded in it.

"Damn train's latched and the roof's going to fall in," she growled furiously, "Gap's too big to jump, too. We're in trouble now." Rex watched as she yanked on the knob even harder than before. He heard metal scraping on the wooden floor, and almost told her to stop. Except that if she didn't break the door, they'd be fighting ghosts forever. Finally, she said, "Elatch du Zellos! Rex, tell me you have a damn lock pick!" Rex's eyes widened in disbelief. Why she'd think _he_ of all people had one was a mystery not even he'd look into.

"Of course not! I'm a detective, Sam," Rex reminded her, "Breaking and entering is against my job protocols." Sami's lips thinned. Of _course_ he'd give her that bullshit. She nearly forgot he actually worked for the law, what with him being so damn _good_ at his job. She flatly turned to Ryou, who followed when she shouted her Esper slander again.

"Can _you_ pick the lock?" she asked in exasperation. Ryou's face paled. The look of frustration told him that if he actually answered, she might lose it. But if he didn't answer, she'd definitely lose it. He shrugged nervously. And that was enough. She knew he had no idea what to do, and in uncontrolled anger, she threw her head back, her eyes flashing red.

"_BAKURA, YOU FUCKING IDIOT! HOW COULD YOU NOT TEACH RYOU HOW TO PICK A DAMN LOCK!?_" she screamed as loudly as she could, and then huffed a bit, trying to control herself. She forced her attention back on the lock. She didn't risk using magic in case she really did set the train off, but there wasn't much else they could do. She kicked at the door, but it didn't budge. Frustrated, she called Joey over, and with her and Rex, all three of them charged at the door. It fell in a pinch under their combined strength, throwing the three of them into the chamber. Ryou ran in, jumping over them to reach the dusty table, which held an equally dusty book on it. He opened it up and read it as Sami stood.

"What did you find?" she asked curiously, walking toward him.

"Some sort of log. It says we need to pull down two levers to stop the train," Ryou replied, "Listen to this: 'Pull down levers 1 and 3, but leave the middle alone. That will signal the automatic emergency brakes and stop the train." Sami blinked as Ryou looked back at her. She appeared slightly confused, even though the directions were crystal clear. But when she next spoke, Ryou found her confusion was actually just more curiosity.

"What happens if we pull the second lever by mistake?" she asked. Ryou flipped through the book, but it didn't say what the consequence of that particular action was. Maybe there was none. Except that there were six levers. Why bother making six if only two worked?

"Maybe the lever code just won't work," Ryou concluded, closing the book, "Either way, at least now we know what to do." Sami nodded, until a scream caused them both to jump. Yugi rushed in, and Ryou heard crashes outside. He could only guess what was happening out there, and he prayed to anyone that'd listen that Yami was winning the battle.

"Sami! The ghosts are back!" he cried. Sami's eyes widened, and she rushed out, not caring that she nearly bowled Rex over again to get there. Ryou followed quickly, and saw her throw a massive fire blast at the ghosts, incinerating many of them to dust. Those that survived had been knocked so off-balance that they fell off the tracks and could no longer keep up. Sami just laughed mightily. Ryou doubted they'd be a problem now unless they were stupid as well as dead.

"Move!" she commanded firmly, and no one hesitated. They rushed down the car, stopping just short of the gap. This time, a thin catwalk allowed them passage. Sami quickly pushed them onwards, stopping just once to unleash another massive blast of magic. This time, she chose lightning to be her harbinger of wrath. The light was blinding, and she used it to buy them more time. She rushed across, panting from the effort of her previous spells. Ryou guessed they were close to being beyond her actual limits.

"Open the engine!" she called, "I'm going to disconnect the cars!" Ryou nodded, trusting her decision. He ran to the door and threw it open. At first, it stalled. But with Joey's strength, the door gave. Then, they heard another mighty blast of lightning. Ryou was worried Sami was going overboard with power, but he wasn't about to stop her. She was winning. He looked over and saw that she nearly had the cars disconnected. One more heavy slam of her tail broke the metal connector in half, both halves slipping off. Slowly, the cars separated, and the car they just exited from began to slow, and then reverse back down the tracks.

"Take that, you ugly sacks of crap!" Joey laughed as a few brave souls decided to jump the train and try to chase them on foot, only to fail miserably. They were no match for either the train _or_ Sami's massive spells.

"Why don't you losers haunt someone's grave!?" Rex taunted, as they ran into the engine room. It was sparse. All that adorned it was a furnace for burning coal, and a set of six levers on the back wall. With a flicker of her eyes, Sami sent Ryou to complete the operation. He pulled down the first and third switch, and slowly, the train rumbled. A whistle blew outside.

"It worked! We're slowing down!" Yugi exclaimed, as they began to walk out of the car. Then, the train gave a furious shake, nearly throwing them off. It turned from a black, to a bloody crimson color. Ryou felt an amazing power surge coming from it, and he clutched Sami's arm. She looked mildly alarmed, but unafraid, as usual. How anyone could've been that calm was beyond Ryou. He was personally ready to shit his pants.

'_So it was _you _who stopped my progress through Winbourne!?_' came a dark, angry, deep voice. The wind itself seemed to die down under the rumble. Joey looked around, wondering just where the voice had come, but Sami pointed at the train. He stared at her finger in disbelief.

"Does this train actually talk!?" he asked, eyes widening. Sami gave a curt nod, and the train laughed.

'_Mortals are so idiotic!_' the train roared, and exclaimed, '_But enough! No mortal shall stop my progress. I will run you into your graves!_' Sami's eye twitched. Ryou wondered what was wrong until he heard the engine rumble. Then Sami was on the move, already dashing away as she screamed the one thing she knew they'd understand and follow without concern.

"_RUN THE HELL AWAY!_" It wasn't even necessary. Everyone was already following her, including the train. And they knew it was only a matter of time before it sped up further and mowed them into the dirt.

"Why… the hell… are we fighting… a fucking _train!?_" Joey wheezed, as they tried to run down the tracks. Sami turned quickly and blasted a huge wave of lightning. It knocked one headlight out, causing a decent chunk of damage, too. But it also threw half the tracks into blackness, making it harder to see where they were going. If the forests on the sides of the track weren't so thick, Ryou would've suggested running into them. He guessed the forests, however, would've been likely to attack them, too. In a world full of evil magic, anything could've killed them.

"How the hell are we supposed to hit it if we're running!?" Mokuba demanded, as they jumped or crawled over a fallen tree in the tracks. The train merely sped over it, crushing it as splinters flew off into the dark night. Ryou silently wanted to know how they'd accomplish that, too, but as usual, Sami's answer was just vague enough and simple enough to confuse them all.

"Just hit the damn thing!" she yelled behind her, and stopped as everyone rushed past. She threw another incinerating blast of wildfire, and Ryou was sure the train should've at least slowed from the beating. But it didn't seem to deter the train in the least. And Sami wasn't able to move while casting such a devastating spell. He stopped. He had to help her. He closed his eyes, wishing he'd brought the Zerrkandrr with him. And suddenly, he felt the weight of something heavy in his hands. He opened his eyes. It was the Esper sword in question, glowing blue. It heeded his call. He grinned. Now he could rip that train a new doorway.

"Ryou, what are you doing!?" Sami yelled when he threw her forward as hard as he could to keep her away from the train. He turned around, gripping the sword, and leapt up, slashing the second headlight and making gash upon gash on the metallic exterior. At first, it appeared that Ryou's attacks did nothing short of making the engine furious, but then, his cuts began to get deep enough to tap wire. Jolts of electricity ran through every cut Ryou began to make, and slowly, the train began to halt. When he touched a pool of energy, the shock sent up his arm told him it was where Sami had previously aimed her inferno. One last slash connected with that magic, and the interior began to explode, a shower of flaming sparks erupting inside of the engine. Ryou felt the train rumble, and withdrew his sword, scrambling to get off of the front and out of the way. He fell to the ground and got up running, quickly making it back to where everyone else was. Without a word, they all ran from the train as loud bangs and explosions sounded. The headlights, damaged as they were, flashed for a second, and then fell dead. The entire train was motionless, and carefully, Ryou stepped forward, sheathing his sword.

"…did we actually kill it?" Joey asked in the hushed silence, walking over toward the engine. It didn't rumble, which meant they at least damaged it a little. Sami nodded, placing a calming hand on Ryou's shoulder. The poor boy was trembling all over, and she didn't know if it was because he had been zapped with energy, or because he was actually scared. Either way, he was shaking and she had to calm him a bit before they continued.

"…looks like we did," she answered, until the train's lights flashed for a second. Her eyes turned to slits. She partly expected that, but it still perturbed her how many hits the train took to stop. However, upon hearing the low rumble of the train's voice, she realized the battle had been won.

'_You… you have bested me. Mere mortals have bested me, the train of Hell!_' the train rumbled in disbelief, and then the whistle let out a long sigh, '_Very well. I shall take you to the city of Desbin. But first… let me pick up the souls of the dead who've slipped here unknowingly._' Everyone looked at each other, no one knowing just what that meant. Sami looked at Ryou. His skin paled from the energy used for his last attack. She had to take the lead for him. She stepped forward, her sword in her hand cautiously. Even if the train admitted defeat, years of battle told her not to take risks.

"Very well," she said carefully, slowly, "But then… those ghosts… were they souls of the departed _here_?" Ryou couldn't really understand why Sami was so cautious. He no longer sensed any maliciousness in the train. But Sami was skeptical about what it said. Did she know anything more? She must not have, for she said nothing else nor made any accusations.

'_Yes, but they are souls that refuse to pass on,_' the train explained, '_It is my duty to take the souls of the dead and send them to Oblivion to rest. That is why I attacked. I assumed you were here to stop me from that. I see now, I've made a grave mistake._' Sami nodded, looking down. She saw Joey move forward a little, and almost went to stop him. Except that they weren't in danger. She'd just be wasting her time.

"Man, now I feel bad that we busted you up!" Joey exclaimed, slumping a little in guilt, "There anything we can do to help, man?" The train just rumbled in laughter, the loud noise echoing through both sides of the expansive forest.

'_No. My parts will reappear soon enough_,' the train said, and opened its door, '_Now, please board. Waste no time, mortals_.' Sami walked on first, and beckoned the others to follow her. They did so, and immediately, the train rumbled onward.

It seemed to take only a few short minutes before they reached the train's next stop, where it let them out. Coincidentally, it looked almost exactly like where they'd boarded in the first place; gray grass spread in all directions, and the same dark road stretched north and south endlessly. But this time, they departed upon a stone platform, the only landmark they'd seen for some time. Sami and Ryou turned back, and slowly they began to see the souls needed to be picked up. Ryou wondered if it was due to Sami's power exuding around him; no one else seemed to see the souls. At the last two, however, his mouth dropped open. He saw faintly his mother, and his little sister.

"M…mother!?" Ryou called, eyes tearing up, "Amane!?" The train whistled, and began the slow crawl down the tracks. Ryou took off toward the end of the platform, and then watched helplessly as the train slowly began to speed up. He would've jumped, except that Sami had caught up and grabbed his shoulder to stop such an attempt. Not that it'd have actually done anything. His family was dead, though he did note that his father wasn't among the spirits.

"Ryou, stop," Sami said gently, but firmly, "There is nothing you can do. Let them pass." Ryou turned to her, not even bothering to hide his tears. He couldn't believe she would say that to him! He was in such pain! But… then again, she had lost friends and family as well. She understood his desire, possibly even acted upon it herself. And she found it futile. She refused to let that happen to him. Ryou wanted to be grateful, but right then, seeing his own mother and sister was too much.

'_Ryou_…' his mother called, and he looked up, '_Ryou… my little boy… I'm so sorry… my little Ryou…_'

'_Don't make me haunt you, stupidhead!_' Amane called from behind her mother, brows creasing as she watched Ryou shrink from view, the train rounding a bend. Ryou just hung his head, trying to get a grip on himself. They'd been gone long before now, and he had to just accept that. Besides, they had other problems, too. And he had Yugi's support concerning this. Sami let go of him, and silently left him, walking down off the platform and toward the others. Joey moved to walk over to where she came from, but she stopped him with her sword.

"Leave him," she said firmly. Joey hung his head and walked back. Sami just turned, keeping her silent watch on Ryou. He stood on that platform for many minutes, neither speaking nor moving. Sami wondered if he was even breathing. But finally, he came down after several contemplative moments. He reached Sami, and looked down at her. She looked so serious… but he sensed a gentleness in her, too. She sympathized with him.

"They're really gone," he said, feeling oddly detached as he spoke. Sami's lips thinned sadly, and she clapped his shoulder.

"You knew that long before now, my friend," she replied, and the strength in her voice somehow seemed to refresh him, "Now it's time you moved on. Move, but never forget."

"I just… I don't want to lose anyone else," Ryou whispered, "Not Yugi, nor Bakura… nor you. Nor anyone." Sami chuckled softly, a small smile creeping onto her face. At times like these, it was good to have her around. She had an underlying strength, that even when someone faced the very worst, her words always made them feel stronger. His voice hadn't even cracked as he spoke.

"We all eventually die, Ryou," she reminded him, though it felt more like she was talking to all of them, "Not a single one of us isn't mortal. But rest assured our times haven't come yet." Ryou nodded. She sounded so sure of it, but part of him was still worried. She herself had been shot, had lost enough blood to die by normal human standards. Then she and Yami had both nearly died from the lightning storm before they'd landed in Winbourne. Too many times, Ryou had been shown how mortal his strongest friends truly were.

"I can't help but worry," he said slowly, "I'm sorry… You're so strong and fearless, Sami. And here I am crying about my mother. I just… I'd lose it if I lost anyone else. I'd jump right off after the train." That same small smile reappeared on the older woman's face. She looked at Ryou so knowingly; it felt like he was looking at his own mother, her kindness felt so strong.

"You wouldn't have the selfishness to jump," she reminded him gently, "As for my being fearless… call it mere cynicism. I've learned too much that people come and go. Life is too fragile, and it's shown me that I don't want to get too attached. Don't become like me, Ryou."

"You mean bitchy and sarcastic?" Rex interjected, and Ryou actually laughed, "Sam, I doubt anyone could beat you at that. Except for maybe Kaiba, but you could just kill him for it." Sami's eyes narrowed flatly. She'd nearly forgotten such an idiot was still around. She blamed it on the fact that she was worried for Ryou's sake.

"Likewise, I could kill you, too," she reminded him bluntly, and turned toward the grassland, "Now let's go before I actually act on it, _asshole_." Ryou just sighed, fully expecting her _bitchiness_ to kick in soon. It was nice to know she could tap into it at any given time. Rex just snorted, ignoring her as she walked past him and further into the grass, taking some vague route no one yet could determine.

"Don't make me shoot you," he grumbled in response, as they began to follow her. She just laughed at him. Silently, Ryou didn't want to tell him that she'd already been shot and all it did was _knock her down for a few minutes_. He'd probably take it to mean she was the bane of all that was justice and police-oriented. Guns, after all, were the staple means for cops to kill criminals.

"Go ahead. Can't guarantee I won't be pissed as hell when I deflect it, though," she replied easily, not even caring how easily a human would fall before a gun, "Just know that when you do, I'll shove my sword so far down your throat that you'll be shitting metal for three days." Ryou saw Rex shiver. That was a threat he knew she could back up. Wanting to avoid the unnecessary bloodshed, Ryou bit his lip and quickly changed the subject.

"Sami, where are we heading now?" he asked her. She stopped suddenly, as though she hadn't quite thought that part out for herself. She scratched her ears nervously. It was painfully obvious she hadn't thought that part out.

"Well… the train mentioned a place called Desbin," she said after a minute, "We'll go there, and we'll see if we can find anything." Ryou just blinked. That was, of course, the obvious choice of action. But what he, nor anyone else, could understand was how she knew where to even go. Was she just guessing? Ryou asked her that, and she just laughed. She didn't even give an answer. She just continued on as though she knew _exactly _what she was doing. So, of course, Rex didn't believe for a second that she did.

"What the hell!?" he called, as they tramped down the grass, which they found to their dismay to be damp, "Okay, we're supposed to just _follow_ her without even knowing what the hell we're doing!? In what reality does _that_ work!?" Yugi just chuckled as he and Yami walked to catch up to Sami. They didn't have a problem with that. Likewise, neither did Joey or Ryou. Mokuba seemed to be the only one who had common sense, at least in Rex's mind. Ryou just shrugged as they continued, Sami eventually finding a stick and using it as a torch for them to see with. Off if the distant horizon, she could see the sky was black. It must've been nearing midnight by then.

"It could be worse," Ryou reasoned, speaking just loud enough for Rex to hear, "We could be walking into a pit of lava." Unfortunately, if he actually thought that was going to help, or was even remotely funny, Ryou was wrong. Rex wasn't even smiling. His brows creased and he scowled. He didn't trust Sami nearly as much as everyone else. Then again, he had no reason to.

"It doesn't matter _where_ we're going! This is reckless endangerment!" the flustered man cried, clutching his cap, "Damn it, if we were in Domino, I'd have her arrested for this! I'm not getting paid enough to deal with this crap!" Ryou glanced over flatly at Rex. He didn't _have_ to come; he only came to appease his boss.

"I guess it's a good thing we're _not_ in Domino, then," Ryou stated, "Now, you can either try trusting Sami and hope we're safe, or you can stay here. Either way, the rest of us are going." Then, he stalked ahead. Rex just watched him for a minute, truly floored with the fact that Ryou trusted Sami implicitly. No, not just Ryou. _Everyone_ was trusting her to dig them an early grave. And that technically didn't make it reckless endangerment. Rex couldn't have stopped this if he tried. Sometimes, it sucked to be a cop.

"What a dumbass," Rex growled, stuffing his hands into his pockets and then walking after Ryou. To hell if he'd be left behind because he didn't trust their assumed leader. To hell if he'd be fired for it, either. Rex Raptor would investigate this incident, even if it killed him. And with the knowledge that _Sami_ was leading them, that was more than likely the case. Sometimes, it _really_ sucked to be a cop.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

Through some miracle that no one can explain, Ryou and his friends actually managed to kill a train. And now, they must go to the city of Desbin to get some information. Can they find anyone willing to help them, and will they get back to their own world? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!


	15. The Demon City of Desbin

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Takahashi does, and he wants to know just how Ryou physically disabled a train.

The fields they traveled through was by far the most desolate place Ryou felt he'd ever come to. The grass remained gray, and at first he'd thought it was just the darkness of the night. But when he bent down, he found that the grass was _dead_. It also explained the lack of wildlife, not that he expected to find much wildlife in this world, either. He honestly wasn't sure what he should've been expecting, but the feeling of loneliness floored him. It was as though all life within this world, save for them, had been sucked out long ago, leaving a scarred, barren wasteland of grass to greet any newcomers. It sent shudders up Ryou's spine just to think about.

When they reached halfway across the large plain, Sami looked up at the sky. Ryou noticed she was frowning, and looked up himself. The sky was starless; there wasn't even a flicker of light in the sky. There was no moon, and no wind to whistle through, rustling the grass beneath them. And the fine line of black was stretching as the minutes passed, finally coming to a full hour. Ryou wished he had a watch; he wanted to know how late it actually was. He felt tired, but he had no desire to rest until they found the city. For all he knew, they could be walking into something bad already. If they rested, it'd leave them nearly defenseless. Quietly, he glanced at Sami again. She didn't seem to be the least bit tired. Maybe it was due to the adrenaline of fighting the train.

"What's Desbin like?" Yugi asked her, as he let out a long yawn. Sami let her gaze in the sky drop slowly, and then looked at Yugi incredulously. He realized she had no actual idea and rephrased, "What do you _think_ it's like? Have you read anything about it?" This caused a small smile to appear on the older woman's face. She nodded.

"It's fashioned within what cities used to look like in the medieval ages," she replied slowly, "A structural analysis says there are a lot of older castles and manors in the heart of the city, and the outer perimeter is fairly small. My guess is a majority of the population are consisting of 'higher' demons, which explains the number of elegant structures inside the city. But I don't know the ways or customs of anyone living there." She looked at Yugi closely now, and suddenly stopped. A faint ray of moonlight speared through the blackness for just an instant, and she saw that something was very, very wrong. Had Yugi grown smaller since they left? At first, she had thought her eyes were just tired and seeing things oddly. But now… now it looked true.

"…what?" Yugi asked, noticing Sami was staring at him intently. She frowned, squinting her eyes. Yugi's height didn't change for her, but he was definitely smaller than he had been. That disturbed her now.

"You're over three inches smaller than you were when we left," she replied flatly, deciding to give up on trying to figure out how to straighten her eyesight, "You… noticed this, right? It's not just me, is it?" Yugi blinked. At first, he wanted to pass off Sami's weird observation as exhaustion, too, but then he realized that she was right. Beforehand, just a few hours before, he could see her perfectly at eye level. But now, he had to tilt his head back to see her. He frowned as he realized this. So much for being normal height.

"I'm smaller!" Yugi cried in disbelief, as everyone else looked back at them, "And… and Ryou's smaller too! My god, so is Mokuba!!" Ryou glanced, and saw now why Yugi was panicking. Mokuba _was_ smaller, his hair much longer now, and his clothes far too big for his body. Yugi had definitely shrunk as well; his coat was just two inches too long, and his pants dragged slightly on the floor. Likewise, Ryou himself noticed his coat fit too loosely, and as he looked in the reflection of Sami's sword, he saw his face was losing the lines it'd gained in the past two years; he was looking like he had before he even met Sami. The only ones who weren't affected were Joey, whose physique hadn't changed in the least in two years, Yami, who was a spirit and was immune to mundane magic, and Sami, who wasn't even human, and who probably lived through a variety of powers like this. But even Joey appeared terror-stricken now. Obviously, what just happened hardened his belief in magic. He looked at Sami seriously for the first time.

"Time flew backwards," he said, "It's magic, isn't it!?" Sami hummed gravely, looking at her affected friends carefully. In truth, she didn't know what it could've possibly been. But she did know it wasn't natural. She nodded.

"It'd have to be," she agreed darkly, "But why? Is it because we're in another world?" She looked at Yami. She didn't entirely expect an answer, but if anyone would help clarify what might have occurred, it was the old spirit. He had an understanding of magic she would have to rely on right now. He smiled weakly, crossing his arms as he looked and watched the ray of moonlight fade into the blackness again.

"I'm not sure, but my guess is it's magic. Not from this world, but from _somewhere_," he replied calmly, "Sami, Mystics have their own world, right?"

"Yes, but from my understanding, only three people in the entire scope of Oblivion can control time itself," she stated firmly, "It takes an incredible effort to do this and not split apart the very fabric of space. Time and space are non-linear, and if you have the power, you literally can create 'pockets' that can serve primarily as holding cells for anything within a set timeline you need to keep. But to reverse time? Do you understand the drain it'd take on any one _mortal_ to do this?" Yami's face paled. That much, he no longer understood. And by the looks of it, no one else knew what she was saying, either.

"…you mind running that by us again?" Rex asked bluntly. Sami's mouth slanted downward.

"To make it simple, I don't think this is just magic," she replied, more carefully this time, "Think this through. To reverse time like this affects the whole of Oblivion. Even if this is magic we've encountered, everyone knows how badly this is going to turn out. Anything that happened in every world is going to be reversed, and the frame Oblivion sits in, and the barriers protecting our worlds from Oblivion's inter-dimensional current will become even thinner. The origin is magic, but this is stupidity. Whoever did this doesn't have the intelligence to understand what they just did." That part, they did understand. That meant that everything good within their world would be no more, and everything bad would come back.

"But you're sure someone did this?" Rex asked, and Sami nodded, "Is it that same moron who sent us _here_!?" Sami just nodded again, but she didn't speak. This must've sent her speechless. Never before had she seen such a display of suddenness, of such stupidity. Time rifts weren't normal. They were always created by _something_. And she knew that the current keepers of time would never pull anything like this. She had no doubts that whoever reversed time, however stealthily, was the same person who threw them here at all. But the question she couldn't answer was what the true purpose was. The move was stupid, but there _was_ a reason behind it. Sami just couldn't see it. Was it to make them powerless? It didn't even affect the strongest of them anyway. There had to be another reason for it.

The rest of the walk had been silent. Sami had taken to contemplating what had just happened, and no one felt the need to disrupt her from it, either. Ryou had decided to try and see if anything else existed, such as birds or crickets, but he found his efforts futile. The plain was as empty as his stomach now was. It growled hungrily, but only Rex took notice to it. Ryou shrugged it off, and they kept walking. But rather than following Sami, Ryou suddenly stopped again. Now he noticed that the temperature had dropped, and the grass went from dull gray to nearly black itself. His eyebrow quirked. That wasn't right. There was no cloud in the sky to cause that, and no wind to lower the temperature. He looked up, and saw the cause for the change. They were walking underneath a large shadow, far larger than anything he'd ever seen. It stretched onwards on either side of him, and looking further toward the north, he saw the city coming into view. They were walking under the shadow of the city. It was bordered with a great, stone wall, and he could barely see an open gate toward the front. Just looking at such an ominous figure made him tremble. They were nearing a city full of creatures he had never seen. Should he have been scared?

"W-what is that place?" he quivered, clutching Sami's arm in unadulterated terror. The city was looming high above them, and now Ryou wondered if the black shadows across the sky were simply coming from it. Even Sami seemed spooked by the structure of the city; she stepped backwards, and when Ryou clutched her arm, she stopped so abruptly that her glasses slid off her face.

"That's the most evil place I've ever seen!" Joey cried, eyes widened as he heard Mokuba shiver behind him, "Damn, Tristan's going to freak when I tell him that not even Silent Hill could compete with this." Sami silently cursed. Unfortunately for her, without her glasses, all she saw was a mass of black, everywhere. She couldn't even distinguish the wall in front of them.

"So this is Desbin," she breathed in awe, "Never… in my life have I felt such awesome power! Ryou… do you feel it?" Ryou didn't answer, though he did feel the power she was mentioning. It was like a shock dancing up and down his spine, an itch in his nose that wouldn't go away. Powerful creatures _must_ live here if even Sami was impressed. There wasn't much in Ryou's world that could take her down. But clearly, Winbourne held different matters. He turned to her, and then heard a crunch underneath his foot. His eyes widened and his mouth turned to a frozen smile. He looked down, and watched as Sami picked up a bent frame, where red shards of glass fell onto the ground. He just broke her glasses.

"I am so sorry," he whispered, as Mokuba gasped and Rex snorted. Sami just blinked in disbelief. In that one second, one tiny little second, Ryou broke her glasses and rendered her sight highly inferior. And in the worst possible time, too. Could that day get any worse? Sighing, she pocketed the frames, ignoring the red shards on the ground.

"At least I can see," she grumbled irritably, "Sort of." Rex stopped laughing and stared at her apprehensively. No matter how humorous that was, her sight was actually pretty important if they wanted to win. Or at least live.

"What kind of crap is 'sort of!?' Tell us you're not completely blind!" he cried in exasperation, "Wenchester, I want to _live!_" Sami's eyes narrowed flatly. She must've thought Rex was a complete idiot, and Ryou found he didn't blame her. Most people, save for Joey, thought Rex was a few cents too short of a dollar.

"First of all, jackass, we're perfectly fine. No one's going to kill us unless any of you does anything cosmically idiotic. Now, that's more than likely to happen, but I'll be nice right now," she grumbled, "Second off, I _can_ see. Right now, Ryou's crystal clear, but anything more than ten feet away, and everything gets blurry. Now, we can go on and on about the many ways I could inadvertently kill you because of this, but why don't we just go inside before I get so pissed off that I actually _do_ it." Rex shut his mouth at that. She was just insane enough to follow through with her threat. And no one was willing to argue with her, either.

The walk into the city was quiet, because no one wanted to test just how far Sami's patience was going. She already threatened someone within their groups once that day, and no one wanted to see how long it'd take for her to act. The gate was unguarded, something that made Ryou happy, but made Rex nervous; if Sami did kill him, no one except their friends would be the wiser about it. And their friends wouldn't report her, either. But as they passed, he saw she didn't move for her sword. That was a good sign. The inside of the city was as Sami explained, with every structure built from stone, some having metal or wooden supports to add to its construction. The roads were cobbled, and wrought-iron streetlamps dotted the roads, much like the lone lamp they had seen on the dark road from before. Though the sky above was dark and ominous, the city below was well-lit, the lamps providing soft, golden glows on the cobble. It looked almost like a normal city, with normal people. Except that normal people didn't have demonic wings or horns protruding from their heads. And normal cities didn't have such a horrid smell to them. Ryou's eyes widened as they walked down the road.

"…what on earth was that smell supposed to be?" he asked, as he noticed that the people they passed were staring at them. Sami, unfortunately, couldn't see this. But she smelled what he was speaking of. It smelled foul, as though someone had dead and had been left to rot in the middle of the street. And, knowing the kinds of monsters living here, Sami realized that was a definite possibility. But she wasn't the fastest talker.

"Demon shit," Rex grumbled before the woman could even answer, "Or poison. Or a corpse. Take your pick, it could be every one of those." He was apparently ignoring the glares he received for that. Sami just snorted. Looks like Rex actually thought like her after all. Maybe there was hope for the man… except that one Incubus took such offense at his statement that he kicked Rex over and stormed off, his black hair trailing down his bare back. Ryou watched in awe; the man looked marvelous, even with the red wings sprouting from his head. A hissing noise diverted his attention, causing him to jump. Yugi looked around to see a large, metal pipe boring into the side of a house. Steam was issuing from it.

"…steam pipes?" he inquired curiously. Sami looked to where he pointed, seeing a thick line of green against the stone of the house.

"Not all worlds are as technologically advanced as others," she replied calmly, as another spout of steam hissed behind her, "Demons in general are magically constructed, so they don't have to rely on electricity to keep their cities running. Chances are, they use the power from Oblivion and convert it somehow if steam isn't enough." Yugi nodded absently, backing away when the pipe hissed a third time. Sami just patted his shoulder.

"I hope they know Oblivion has a new tear in it," Yami said worried. Sami silently nodded. She doubted they did know; not many were receptive to the faint traces Oblivion could give. Even Espers had a hard time tracking tears down, and they were experts at it. Sami sighed, looking at the people they passed. They all seemed to be oblivious to what was happening in Domino, or to Oblivion. They couldn't have known. One demon, a beautiful woman with black wings, smiled warmly as she passed Sami. She reminded them of Katt.

"…these people have wings and tails and horns like you do," Rex commented as the woman passed on, "Are _you_ a demon, Sami?" Sami's lips thinned, as she looked down for a minute. Were Espers demons? She didn't know. She shrugged.

"I never thought I was," she replied slowly, "But they have magic, and I do have bat wings. I could be." Ryou hummed. If she was, his whole idea of demons would have to change, then. She wasn't evil as he thought most demons were. A chuckle behind them, however, alerted them that one such demon had overheard them. Sami spun, her sword already in her hand. Its blade flashed purple as she eyed a particularly old demon with the head of a goat. Its horns had grown long and curved downward, and muscle ripped from its orange body. But its eyes portrayed a level of kindness. It seemed to be smiling at them.

"Many races are considered demons, my dear," he said in an astonishingly young voice, "Yes, Espers are considered demonic in some worlds, but in no way are you evil. Rest assured of that." Sami glanced at Ryou, and he blushed in embarrassment. That last part was aimed at him; briefly, Sami sensed he wondered about her true intentions. Her eyes hardened and she turned away. She didn't like being distrusted.

"That's comforting," she replied flatly to the demon, "And you know this because…?" Ryou's eyes widened. Now wasn't the time for Sami to get difficult, especially with a _demon_. But the demon took it in stride. He chuckled, the ground underneath him trembling slightly at the sound. One short, rabbit-like creature scampered away at the tremors.

"I know much," he simply explained, his voice clearly amused with her frustration, "We have similarities, each of us. Take Sinde over there." He pointed to the Incubus who had kicked Rex previously, who was watching Sami with a hunger Ryou felt uncomfortable with, "He has wings similar to yours, dear. And he uses magic, as you do." Sami blinked, thinking on that. No wonder magic had such a bad reputation, then. Then another thought came to her. What if the Mystic _wasn't_ the one who opened the portal? It technically didn't make any sense why they'd end up in a world of demons, and she refused to believe any Mystic was that unskilled. By rights, that Mystic would've been executed, either by a stronger Mystic or by the ESB themselves. It was curious.

"So, can all demons use magic?" Rex asked as Sami continued with her line of thought. She looked up only briefly to hear what the demon had to say. And she was glad she did.

"We all have the ability to use magic, but as of late, our magic is decreasing," the demon replied calmly, but there was a sadness that tugged at Ryou. Sami, however, only grew more attentive to that fact. That ruled out the possibility of their little moron being a demon, then. She frowned.

"Then it's not limited to Domino," she concluded, though all it got her were confused stares, "Demon… when did this start? Was it recent?" Ryou blinked, wondering why Sami was asking these questions now and what connection she was forming. Then he caught it. Perhaps there _was_ a reason they were in Winbourne, after all.

"Yes. Perhaps a year ago, perhaps two, I don't remember," the demon told her gently, appearing none the wiser over her question, "There is little we can do, however. Winbourne is protected from many tears into Oblivion, and if our magic escapes into the voids, that same protection makes it difficult to regain without heading directly into Oblivion itself." Sami just hummed. And grinned. Ryou didn't like that. It meant she figured out exactly why they were here. If what the demon said was true, then if Sami's power was exhausted, she wouldn't be able to get it back. It was the same with Yami, and with Ryou's sword. Cripple them here, they'd be defenseless when they went back to Domino. It was a good plan, except that Sami caught it.

"Wait… we can _go into_ Oblivion!?" Rex exclaimed, and then smiled greedily, "Oh man, this case is going to get me _promoted_!"

"Idiot! We have more pressing matters!" Sami scolded angrily, brows creased as she turned back to the demon, "Ignore him. Tell me more of what happened." Rex didn't particularly like being spoken down to, but Sami _was_ getting them some information. If she weren't such a damn psycho, he'd have asked her to join his department. But something told him she'd decline anyway. She hated him as much as she hated Kaiba. And the feelings were mutual, too. The demon just smiled and explained what he could over the incident. And it wasn't much. No one had seen anyone suspicious; all that really alerted any of them to the problem at hand was a dramatic decrease in their stamina and the inability to recover it. Sami was growing frustrated now. That was very little help to her. The demon just frowned slightly, noticing this.

"Forgive me, my young friends," he said, and gestured toward an inn, "Let us take rest there and I will explain further what has occurred. We have unwanted ears following." Sami didn't object, and since she was silently considered the leader – mostly do to her overwhelming strength – everyone followed without question. They walked into the small building; it was more a tavern than an inn, and a rather comfortable one at that. The main room, the tavern, was a large, open, wooden room with a stone base. The bar was to the right, overlooking the three large windows that depicted the street outside. The fireplace provided exceptional heat and light, a stark contrast to the darkness outside, though the gray in the sky indicated that dawn was only a few hours away. There was a smaller room to the side, but as of yet, no one made a move for it. A staircase led to the upper floors, but Sami would explore that later. To their immediate right, a woman, not unlike Sinde, was behind the counter, polishing a glass. She looked up. Her face looked stern, her auburn hair paling her already white skin further.

"Well, if it isn't Belphegorus again," she said, almost flatly, "More of those damned humans?" The demon that led them there nodded, but his smile was warm and calm.

"Good evening, Vaerd," he replied, undisturbed by the woman's tone, "Yes. They boarded the train and came off here. They are investigating the power shortage we're suffering." The woman put her cup down, her face looking even graver than before. Ryou trembled. The woman was startlingly beautiful, and he also felt an aura of danger to her, too. He glanced at Yugi and Joey. They were similarly affected, as well as Rex. Only Yami and Mokuba were unaffected, and Ryou guessed it was because one was a spirit, and one was a small boy again. Likewise, Sami wasn't affected for the obvious; she did seem relatively annoyed, though.

"About time someone from the ESB looked into this," the woman grumbled, and looked to Sami, "You'd better be one of them, or I'm going to blow the last group of idiots back to Oblivion." Ryou glanced at Sami again. He had never heard of the ESB before; at least, not in great detail. But Sami seemed relaxed. She held out a badge, and the woman looked it over. She seemed pleased enough.

"Inter-World Connections agent," Sami told her, "Sent by Bahamut himself. What's the problem?" Ryou wanted to ask just where in hell she'd gotten the badge. Forget that. How did she actually fabricate that lie? He'd have to ask her later. Right then, the woman was convinced. Of course, the older demon wasn't. He was chuckling as Sami and Vaerd exchanged information. But he made no move to stop the young Chesier. This was far too amusing to him.

"Well, first off, our magic's leaking into Oblivion. We want you to fix this immediately," Vaerd said, but gave no mention as to how Sami was expected to complete that, "Next, more of you disgusting humans bumbled their way here. We want them out! So go and get rid of them. Kill them if you have to." Ryou thought that was a little overboard, but he knew Sami would actually do it. She had no true loyalty to humans. Ryou was the only saving grace his friends appeared to have. Sami just nodded, and with direction from Vaerd, walked into the side room they previously ignored. And she immediately saw why the woman asked for the humans to be killed. Right in front was Yaten Bakura, sitting nonchalantly as he sipped his coffee and spoke to the two next to him. What actually bugged her were the two others. One was Suguroku Mutou, who should've been long dead. But the other… was the blonde man. His good eye landed on Sami. Ryou stopped dead when he saw the man in question. Damn it again, there he was!

"You!" Ryou said angrily, pointing to the man, "You nearly killed Sami! What are you doing here!?" Sami just put a hand on Ryou's shoulder as the man merely snorted and turned away. Clearly, he was in no mood for Ryou. Yaten stood up and walked over, at first wondering if his son was actually with him. Then he laughed and hugged Ryou tightly. Ryou nearly burst into tears. His father hadn't died! He had been caught in Oblivion! But then… what of Suguroku?

"Ryou! Oh, my boy's finally fighting _demons_! I knew feeding you all those veggies would help you!" Yaten cried out in pride, and Ryou saw Sami roll her eyes. Likewise, so did Joey and Yugi, "Now, I know you're not good at it, but do you see how it's raised your character? You even have a real sword!" Ryou just blinked. As much as he loved his father and was glad to know he wasn't dead, there were times where he couldn't have wanted to punch a man more. And this was one of those times. Especially because his friends were there _watching him_.

"I'm fine, dad," Ryou grumbled, as Yaten let go, "But why're you here? What happened?"

"Actually… I don't remember," Yaten replied, after a moment of thought, "It's all kind of fuzzy, but it feels like I've been here forever. But my watch says it's still 2006." Ryou glanced at Sami. They both knew what the other was thinking. That _proved_ that time had been corrected. Ryou rushed to create a believable lie. And because this was _his father_, that wasn't too hard to do.

"Your watch must've stopped," Ryou lied, and because he was such a nice, considerate boy, Yaten believed every word he said, "What's the last thing you do remember?" Yaten hummed, trying to think of that. Because it technically _wasn't_ 2006, he just couldn't. His last action was supposed to be over two years old. But he just grinned that dumb grin of his. Sami wanted nothing more than to smack it off. Ryou silently wished she would.

"Oh! I remember that I was paying Sami for cleaning out the gutters," he replied, "And that I wanted to talk to you about your eating habits. I don't approve of the two cupcakes you ate last night, son. I don't want you putting on seventy pounds because you can't control yourself." Ryou just growled. He didn't even _eat_ those cupcakes. _Bakura_ had. But because the two looked so similar, Yaten just assumed it was Ryou. Not to mention it happened _two years ago_. Quickly, Ryou spun on his heel and dragged Sami to a far corner as Suguroku went to speak with Yugi and Joey. Yaten continued to sit and chat, this time trying to engage the blonde man. He failed entirely; the blonde man's gaze was solely on Sami. Ryou snuck a glare toward him, but he simply grinned, never leaving Sami.

"Tell me there's a plan here," he mumbled, ignoring the blonde man now. Sami just frowned. In honesty, she had no idea what they could do now. Time really did reverse, it seemed. And she was no master of time. Not that her magic could do _anything_ here; she guessed it'd slip right into the voids and be lost forever.

"Afraid not," she replied simply, not even afraid of that fact, "We're at a loss, kiddo. Until something happens that puts us on another lead, we're sitting ducks." Ryou just scowled. He wanted to ask what she was thinking when Belphegorus was speaking, but right as he opened his mouth, a voice he so recognized stopped him.

'_I wouldn't argue. She's right_,' it was Bakura, '_There's not a damn you can do now, so just wait it out._' He stepped out of the shadows, and everyone turned when his shoe hit a chair. He silently cursed. He wanted a _quiet_ entrance. Sami immediately scowled furiously. This was no time for the thief's antics.

"What the hell are you doing here!?" she demanded hotly. But rather than instill the usual terror she had, Bakura just laughed. She was flustered. This really must've been pissing her off.

"Relax, my dear. I'm on your side," he replied easily, taking a seat next to Yaten, "As to my being here? Well, why else would I be with Ryou?" Sami's eyes just narrowed and she grumbled, turning away. There were many reasons she could give as to why Bakura would possibly be there, but she didn't feel anyone needed to hear half of them. So she didn't speak. Ryou, however, caught her thoughts as they spun wildly through her head. Most of them made him laugh, too. He turned to Bakura.

"Because you're annoying," he said in Sami's stead. Bakura just raised an amused brow at his younger counterpart. If that was supposed to actually hurt him, Ryou was going to be sourly disappointed. Yaten, however, just looked at Bakura. He never liked the old spirit, and Bakura turned to the man, feeling that fully.

"Listen, you, I tolerate you eating me out of house and home, but stop bothering my son," he stated, and Bakura just snorted, "He hasn't dealt with bullies and I don't want him wetting the bed again. I don't pay my maid enough to deal with that." The blonde man actually laughed now, and both Sami and Ryou stared, completely flabbergasted. None of that was even true! Sami slammed her fist onto the table, nearly destroying it.

"_EXCUSE ME!?_" she shrieked furiously, "_Your maid!?_ How _DARE_ you imply I have any subservient attitude to _you_!"

"_DAD!_" Ryou screamed at around the same exact time, "I do _not_ wet the bed! I'm not three anymore!" He glared at the blonde man, who continued laughing even as Sami mouthed for him to shut up. Ryou wished he had his sword out; he could've silenced the man forever with one swipe. And he could take his father out, too. Except that he loved his dad, no matter how humiliating he was to be around. But Sami didn't, and _she_ had a sword that actually _thirsted_ for the blood of others. Yaten seemed to completely ignore that, though.

"First of all, son, don't talk back to me. That's bad character," Yaten said sternly, and then to Sami, he said, "Second, you work for me to pay for your rent. If I fire you, you're on the street. Which means no more friendship with Ryou." Ryou just grumbled in displeasure, but he noted with extreme worry that the blonde man seemed unusually interested in that threat. His frown became a dark scowl. He knew _exactly_ what that man wanted.

"She's not leaving," he assured the man grimly. The blonde man just raised a slender brow, his good eye following from Ryou, to Sami. She said nothing, and that just made his smile grow. And it made Ryou's scowl deepen.

An explosion outside caused them all to jump, with Yugi and Mokuba screaming as the window shattered. There were screams of terror outside, and the innkeeper, Vaerd, was already working to throw her doors open for the people to take refuge. Sami, Bakura, Yami, and the blonde man rose immediately, and ran to the window to see just what had happened. The explosion was apparent; it wiped out half the buildings and reduced them to half. The other buildings were barely standing. Fire had erupted from those buildings, and it caused the normally dark sky to become saturated with a deep, red hue. Orange mist flowed from the ground. And the worst part was, Sami smelled the darkest traces of magic. Oblivion itself had been used to cause this. Her fists clenched.

"What the hell was that?" Bakura demanded, as Ryou walked over to look. Sami's face had gone grave, her skin going white at the sight of the destruction. Fear rarely colored her eyes, but it did so now. Ryou noticed she was looking at something just a bit toward the right of the main destruction.

"Amber," she growled. Ryou and Yami turned to her. Both recognized the name; it was the same name as her co-worker.

"Are you sure!?" Ryou exclaimed, turning to her in terror. She didn't even glance at him. He _knew_ she was sure she had seen the girl.

"Absolutely," she replied, unshaken confidence strengthening her resolve, "Damn it! I'm not sure whether to be surprised or absolutely pissed. _Amber_ is behind this!?"

"If I found you any faster, I'd have told you," the blonde man said grimly, "Sith, this is bad. Amber's not just a human. She's half-Mystic." Sami's eyes narrowed as she considered that. She'd never heard of such a unity before; Mystics were renowned for their hatred of all other races. She just smirked, watching as one large building finally tumbled, sending sprays of ash and embers outward as demons and humans alike ran in terror from the decay.

"Half-breed, eh?" she asked, and laughed, "No wonder her work is sloppy. I doubt she has the skill she needs to pull this off." Then, taking the blonde man's arm, they jumped out the window. Ryou watched, not even believing that Sami called this _sloppy_. The city was destroyed! Then it hit him that she just ran out there. He jumped out as well, with Yugi following as everyone else tried to protest and get them back inside. But they didn't listen. Sami was throwing herself into the fire, literally.

"Sami, stop! You're going to get yourself killed!" Ryou called, "Sami!! Damn it!" He slowed a little. This wasn't going to help either of them. He had to figure out just where she was heading. Weaving through random streets would definitely get her killed before he found her. Yugi ran up to him, and patted his back as the pale boy gasped for the air to continue his frantic pursuit. Then he closed his eyes, trying to single out her energy. It wasn't hard; hers was the strongest in the city, with the blonde man's being just slightly less. He pointed and said, "There."

"Let's go before she gets shot again," Yugi said, "I don't think she'll live through another bullet like that." Ryou didn't disagree, and they ran down the designated street. As strong as Sami was, she had made it clear she was still very mortal. And Ryou felt her mortality was going to be tested if she actually managed to catch Amber. He didn't want to know what the outcome could be.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

After finding that his father, and the blonde man, are both safe from danger, Ryou discovers that, to his dismay, Sami's co-worker is indeed involved and connected to what's happening. And now, with Sami off in hot pursuit, Ryou must stop them both before a devastating battle of magic is waged in the ruined city. But, will he be enough to calm down his very-much inhuman friend? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!


	16. Katsaiga's Daughter

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Takahashi does, and he wants to know how I come up with such horrible villains.

If ever Sami could've picked a worse street to traverse, Ryou would've been hard pressed to believe it. Garbage, crates, dumpsters, and planks decorated the street they were following, and to make it worse, the buildings it ran between rose high into the air, casting shadow along the already-narrow passage. As if the smell of garbage wasn't putrid enough, the fires behind them were still raging, and Ryou smelled burning leather as well as flesh. Many were already dying in the inferno; he prayed Sami hadn't joined them. They continued quickly, and Ryou risked frequent glances to where they were going. Luckily, there was no sign of Sami, or of the blonde man. They hadn't died yet, or at the very least, they hadn't died here. But when the road opened up into another busy section, where demons and humans alike were pushing to try and reach the gates outside, he knew finding her might just be impossible. There were thousands of people, and a majority of them had wings like hers.

"_SAMI!_" Ryou called loudly, but his yell was lost in the throng of screams and shouts of terror. Even here, they could feel the heat of the explosion far behind them, and though the red haze was fading, it did nothing to lessen to horror of being caught in another blast. Ryou forced himself to stop. He had to concentrate on her power again. He closed his eyes. And then he yelped in pain when he received many different shocks at once. Yugi looked over at him, grabbing his arm.

"What'd you see!?" the smaller boy called in exasperation. Ryou just wiped the sweat off his forehead. He wasn't going to find Sami by tracking her.

"Magic," Ryou growled, "Sami was right. Someone's blowing the place apart. Yugi, can you see her!?" He doubted Yugi could over the rush of people, but Yugi prevailed. He climbed on the back of a large wolf and looked around for any sign of their friend. And he found her. She was off toward another section, very close to where the explosion originated from. Few others were there, it seemed, but he saw her. He leapt off the wolf and went running.

"Come on!" Yugi yelled behind him without offering an explanation. Ryou just followed. The crowd thinned the closer they got, but the heat intensified. And now, Ryou saw that craters were beginning to dot the road, and that something had ripped right through the buildings in the immediate area. He had never seen such power in so short a time. And as Yugi said, right in the center of it all, was Sami. And just as Sami said, Amber was facing her. Ryou and Yugi stopped a safe distance away. He had a feeling if Sami found out they went after her, Amber might not be the only one to die that night. So, the two kept watch.

"Do you even realize what you've done!? You've torn one of the worst tears into Oblivion! This world's doomed!" Sami yelled above the roaring flames around them. She hadn't even noticed Ryou as she continued, "Even as a half-breed, you know magic has its limits! What is your game!? Why are you doing this!?" Ryou noticed Yugi was watching the encounter intently, and took to looking around to see the full extent of the damage. Amber really did a number on the city, and the fires didn't look close to dying down. He also noticed that the blonde man wasn't around, either. But before he could continue his search, Amber spoke up.

"You know why I'm doing this! Don't play clueless with me!" Amber shot back angrily, "I did this for revenge and you know I won't stop until your head's off your neck and you're buried under ten tons of dirt, Winchester!" She spoke the last name with such hatred, such venom, Ryou wondered just how deep the girl's grudge held. But what the grudge was for, he didn't know. Sami, however, just laughed. She wasn't afraid, and she had no reason to be. Ryou saw her take her sword out. In the firelight, its blade looked almost pink. But it didn't matter the color; the outcome would be the same. Amber would be killed. But was it the right thing to do _right now?_

"I'd love to see you kill me," Sami merely stated calmly, "And even if you do, you're going to have an army of Espers after you. And don't forget about Rush. He's going to rip your head off if he realizes I'm dead. Can you really handle all of that opposition?" Ryou couldn't help but wonder just how solid Sami's threat was. From what he'd heard so far, she sounded more like a renegade than any part of the Espers. Amber didn't appear to believe her, either. She just raised an amused brow.

"I can handle anything once I find those orbs!" she screamed, which only confirmed that indeed, she was the one they were looking for, "I'll take your head right to the ESB and tell them their precious little _queen_ is dead for good! You're going to wish you never even crossed us!"

"Based on how you've acted thus far, I find that hard to believe," Sami replied, her calm voice grating on Amber's nerves, "As to the orbs, I'm going to make sure they get tossed so far into the void that not even Terratto himself will be able to find them. Good luck finding them." Ryou's skin just paled. Not only because of the fire, but because he had no idea how much he could trust Sami. She didn't even know where to begin looking, or even if the orbs were in their world at all. That was a big bluff to play, even by her standards. But it did knock Amber back. She seemed to be considering her opponent's words carefully. Then she laughed.

"I already have one!" she declared, and when Sami's grin faded, she held out a black orb, "That's right, Winchester. Good job figuring it out so quickly, but you're a bit too late. Not even my _mother_ could've given this to you. Not that she was that stupid, but she did put all her faith in you for trying to oppose Rath. And look where it got her." Ryou's eyes widened in horror. Only one person under Rath supported Sami at all, and that person was dead. He turned to Sami, but the woman had closed her eyes in sadness. There was no confidence whatsoever in her face anymore. He shook his head, running toward her. Yugi could only watch in confusion.

"No! It can't be!" Ryou called, and Sami looked up at him for the first time, "Sami, it isn't! Katsaiga isn't! Katsaiga…" He stopped when he realized Sami wouldn't be allaying his fears. She looked so serious. She simply nodded, and Ryou asked, "Katsaiga had a daughter?"

"Yes," Sami replied grimly, "Not long ago, either. But she is still so young. She doesn't realize what truly happened to make her mother believe in me so strongly. Or how her mother was truly killed." Ryou just nodded, but he couldn't stop looking at Amber. There were similarities, he now noticed. Her red hair, her blue eyes, even the shape of her body. She looked exactly like Katsaiga. A very mean-spirited Katsaiga.

"I'm not an idiot!" Amber yelled angrily, and pointed an accusing finger at Sami, "I know who you are. I know what you did, all those years ago. Trust me, Winchester, my mother was hanging onto a past long gone. And it's all because of _you_." Sami's seriousness faded only a little. Ryou saw that sadness replaced it again. That was quite a blow Amber struck. Sami didn't even know anything about herself, except for the mission she clearly knew she had to do. Which was to protect Ryou and his world at all costs. She lowered her head, her sword's tip touching the ground.

"You would blame me before you even understand the situation," she murmured softly, so much so that Ryou barely heard her words before her voice rose, "Very well then. Rest assured that I'll make sure you die alongside your mother's grave then. Maybe in death, you'll learn the truth." Unfortunately, if Sami had been working with a more reasonable opponent, that'd have been a grand statement. But she was working with Amber. And Amber wasn't about to listen to reason. She shook her head, and laughed again as another fire behind her roared to life, silhouetting her face.

"Truth? You have no truth!" Amber declared mockingly, "The only truth I need is the truth that the orbs holding those spells you sealed will be your greatest downfall! Prepare to see again how little you can protect your homeland!" Sami's eyes reddened with rage as she realized just what Amber was saying. Now she moved quickly, too quickly for any normal human to block her. She rushed to Amber and went to impale the girl. But Amber held one such orb, and the blow was deflected. Sami was knocked back, almost falling into the cobble. Ryou knelt to help her as Yugi ran over to support her left wing, which had taken most of the blow.

"You have the orbs already!" Yugi exclaimed. Sami's glare worsened. That wasn't even a question. Yugi _knew_ she had them, too. Ryou felt the woman tremble now. Clearly, she hadn't expected that. Amber's smirk grew cocky as she stroked the black orb.

"I have four of them," she said gently, almost as though she weren't facing her greatest rival, "All of them scattered around Oblivion, too. It was hard to get Alucard to give his up, but Aeris was a different matter. Aeon was actually stupid enough to drop his… and then there's only one. Once I find _him_, I'll make sure I kill him for you, too, Winchester." Sami's wings twitched. She must've known who Amber was speaking of. Not that Amber was going to stay to find out. The girl was already walking away, figuring that she'd said more than enough to torment the older woman. But Sami wasn't about to let such a thing stop her. She had a chance to kill now. And she was going to take it.

"Hurt him and I swear you'll die a million dreaded deaths," she growled, "Tell me where the other orbs are, and I won't tell him what you plan to do." Her voice sounded so furious. Ryou could only guess who was being threatened, who was so dear in Sami's life. And that person wasn't among them now. Amber caught the hatred in the older woman's voice, too. She had hit a definite blind spot on Sami. She sneered.

"So you still love him," she said slowly, and Sami's face blanched, "Thanks for the tip. I'll be sure to jumble up those little fragments of your memory really quick, just for you. Thank you for confirming my suspicions!" With that, she leapt into the air, the heat of the flames warping her form just slightly as she ascended higher into the sky. Ryou watched her in disbelief, and then he looked at Sami. She looked defeated. Her sword had dropped, something that was so rare, it signified that this was a heavy blow for her. And she was looking down, looking at nothing and yet at everything at the same time. Ryou frowned, and put a hand on her back as Yugi tugged her arm to try and restore some level of feeling to the fallen woman.

"What happened?" he asked her, when she tore her eyes from the cobble, "Sami, what was she saying?"

"She used me to find the last orb," Sami growled angrily, "And I just gave it to her. She didn't know where it was, she was simply guessing." Ryou's frown deepened. For Sami, who was as honorable as a mercenary could've been, as well as protective of her friends, what Amber just did was the highest insult she could've dealt. All the more to take Sami down. Ryou didn't know how to feel. He wanted to be angry; Amber stated clearly Sami still had feelings for the blonde man. But he pitied Sami, and even the man to some extent. Both were working to keep _his world_ from being destroyed. And Sami had done everything to protect him thus far. She at least deserved to protect her friend, even if Ryou hated him.

"You knew," Ryou whispered, and then asked, "Do we go after her?" Sami's lips thinned. That was a good question, one she couldn't easily answer. Amber was only half-Mystic, but she still had far greater powers, easily surpassing Sami with what she'd done. There was no way to even know if she was still here.

"We could try, but I doubt she's still here," the woman replied, and tears filled her eyes, "He… he told me he had the last orb before he ran off to stop her himself. He said he found it eight years ago… in another world." Ryou motioned for her to stop speaking. This was hurting her. Any hatred he did feel vanished momentarily. For now, he wanted to make sure the man was alive. Even if it was to spare Sami the pain of finding him dead. He clutched the ring on his neck.

"We go after her," he said firmly, "At least to see where she's heading. She might already have the man."

"…I agree," Sami finally said at length, after a long moment of thought, "She must be stopped. There's no mercy anymore. She's murdered too many." Ryou didn't believe for a second Sami could kill in cold blood. Her voice cracked as she spoke, but he guessed that could've easily been for the thought of the blonde man. At that point, he didn't really want to know which thought caused her the most pain. He already knew that she wanted no part in the murder of Mystics; necessity was all that was pushing her to kill them in the first place. He patted her back.

"It's for the good of the many, my friend," he said calmly, almost gently, "I'm sorry." Sami glanced at him, her eyes narrowed gently at his words. Those were a surprise, coming from him. But she also knew necessity was being as cruel to him as it was to her. He was simply being practical. Like her, he had no wish to murder. She just smiled.

"Seems my years of chivalry and moral isn't wasted on the likes of humans, after all," she commented, "Good. I'd begun to lose hope for your kind." Ryou's eyes widened, and he simply watched as she strode away down where they'd come. She just _insulted_ humans! It'd have been different if she were scolding, but that hurt! He almost couldn't believe it came from her mouth. Then again, she was just as cynical as the other non-humans in his world. He just turned to Yugi. The boy was laughing.

"It's not funny," Ryou stated flatly, as they began to follow the woman. But Yugi sourly disagreed, for his laughing didn't cease.

"It is!" Yugi insisted, as they went back into the alley, "When you think about it, we all keep thinking Espers are the ones who're changing the way the worlds run because of magic and everything. But it's _us_. Ryou, _we're_ the ones who're turning into greedy, little bastards who want to rule the world, and who'll stop at nothing to do it, too. She stated a good point." Ryou forced himself to concede, but he still didn't like the remark.

There was no sign of her anywhere. Ryou looked around, straining his eyes to see as far down the alley as he could, even under the heavy red glare of the fire, but he couldn't find her. Not that he was overly surprised. She was quick when she was in pursuit. He just wished she had waited a few minutes before running. He didn't like picking his way through garbage, and likewise, he had a feeling Yugi hated it, too. But neither complained as they slowly drudged down the cluttered alley. It was better than facing off against Amber. They eventually came to a side-alley, and curiosity getting the best of him, Ryou poked his head in. He saw Sami there, bent over one particular pile of garbage. And he smiled weakly. Any signs of defeat had left her. A glow of determination replaced those features, and she looked up at him. Despite the grim lines of her face, she had obviously found something.

"What'd you find?" he asked, walking over as Yugi took a safe distance behind. Sami held up the object she had recovered; a purple, suede shoe. It had been scuffed, and the heel had broken off. But it was a shoe nonetheless. A very expensive shoe, at that.

"This is her shoe. She's been here," Sami told him grimly, and handed him the shoe as she looked toward a back wall some feet away, "This leads to a dead end. Either she turned around or she's gone." Ryou hummed. If she had taken a wrong turn, Sami would've run into her again. Then he remembered how she left. She literally leapt into the air. There was a decent chance Sami's frustration was right. Ryou shook his head stubbornly. He didn't want to believe that for a second. They were so close!

"Think she's hiding?" Yugi offered. Sami blinked flatly with the suggestion. She highly doubted Amber would hide from her, not when she had so much power in her hands. But she humored Yugi. She blew up every pile within the small enclosure, and possibly within the five mile radius as well, in what Ryou guessed was a half-assed attempt to weed Amber out. And nothing stirred. Nothing but Yugi, who trembled from the onslaught of such power. Sami merely crossed her arms over her chest, as though this was nothing new to her. Considering her track record, it probably wasn't.

"Nope," she replied simply. Ryou just stared at her. That really shouldn't have constituted an answer, but she clearly didn't want to look. Not that Amber would've survived such a blast, anyway. But she knew what he wanted. She sighed. Having to prove humans right or wrong was tiring to her, especially because she already knew Amber was long gone. Closing her eyes and focusing, she flatly said, "I don't sense her." Ryou's eyes narrowed as well. He didn't believe she was trying her damned best, and he too closed his eyes. But she had been right. The only source of readable, reasonable ability, was herself.

"I can't sense it, either," he replied. And realized his attempt was a big mistake. Sami glared at him, a mixture of surprise and terror on her face. It was so strong, Ryou actually took a step back, as did Yugi. She advanced on Ryou slowly.

"What do you mean, you can't sense it?" she demanded almost harshly, "Ryou… are you saying you could _before_?" Ryou gulped, and then nodded. Slowly, he explained what he felt and what was happening. It wasn't much, but it was more than enough for Sami's anger to turn into worry. She stopped moving and asked, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't know if it was important," he replied slowly. Sami's eyes widened again, and they looked red. He couldn't tell if that was natural or simply from the fire, and part of him didn't want to know. She seemed angry enough before. Quickly, she grabbed his collar and hoisted him up into the air, inches away from her face. He felt her breath. At that moment, it felt hotter than the flames around them.

"_Unimportant!?_" she roared furiously, "Ryou, this is _DANGEROUS!_ How could you not tell me about this!? Didn't you think for a second that this was a cause of concern!?" She dropped Ryou, the terrified boy fleeing feet away from her. He was glad she wasn't drunk; she might've actually hit him if she was. Slowly, he got to his feet.

"I… I…" Ryou couldn't find the words for her. In all honesty, he usually ignored his power. She didn't press for that answer, though. She merely shook her head, rubbing it as though she were tired. Which she might've been, if she weren't so outraged with him.

"What else can you do?" she asked in frustration, part of her not even wanting to know the answer. But to her relief, Ryou just shook his head.

"Sensing things is all I can do," he replied, "I can't use spells."

"Then we'll just have to hope that's all right," she said grimly, and turned away toward where they'd come, "Magic's dangerous, Ryou. In fact, it kills more humans than it saves. And I'm no idiot, I know you hate magic." The words stung him more than she intended, but only because of the truth she held. Ryou _did_ hate magic. He hated magic more than he hated the blonde man, and he wished the blonde man was dead. It must've equally hurt her, too. After all, she _was_ magic. But she ignored the silence she got as she said, "If something else happens, you _will_ tell me." That sounded more definite than Ryou liked.

"What if he doesn't?" Yugi dared. Not out of malice, but he had a feeling Ryou would try letting it slip Sami. But then he saw Sami's expression. Her anger returned. Without her glasses, nothing masked the deep-seated darkness of her face.

"Then his death will be a quick one," she replied without looking back. Then, she simply left.

The walk back to the inn was silent. Ryou felt no need to speak, and Yugi was too afraid of Sami to risk peeping a word. Likewise, Sami herself was too frustrated to talk to Ryou, even to apologize. Not that she felt she did anything wrong. The fires had slowly died down as the night swept on, but with their death came a silence in the city that seemed to weigh on the three of them. Not even their footfalls appeared to make any noise. It was only when they reached the street toward the inn that Yugi managed a stifled scream. Corpses lay all over the place, and even Sami seemed unable to keep even a small gasp to herself. But she quickly recovered, and ushered the other two inside the inn before too many minutes passed. She looked back for just an instance. In just an instance, Amber murdered over one thousand. So now she would have to deal one thousand sword stabs. One for each unfortunate death.

The inside of the inn felt just as hushed as the death scene out on the street. The lights had been dimmed in light of the growing fire outside, but with the fire dying to its last embers, the inn was cloaked in shadow. Yaten and Suguroku offered warm greetings to the three as they returned, and both Joey and Mokuba asked for what happened, with Rex silently looming in the background, waiting to hear the story as well. Sami, however, refrained from telling it. She had seen another thing that made her hesitant to speak: the blonde man hadn't returned. Ryou visibly saw her tremble. Likewise, so did Suguroku. And the old man was very concerned about it, as well. He stood up as Vaerd left to get them some drinks.

"Sit down, dear!" he urged, leading her to his seat, "My goodness, you look pale. Is everything all right?" Sami just didn't answer. She fell into the seat limply, her hands clutching the arms of the seat furiously. Suguroku looked back to Yugi quizzically and asked, "What happened, my boy?"

"I think Amber has the orbs already," he said, as Ryou added, "She has four of them, and she knows where the fifth one is. Those orbs are going to decimate the entire universe, and Sami just unwillingly gave her the last one." He saw Sami's eyes water. Out of everything that happened, that hurt her the most. She had been used, her greatest weakness preyed upon and used against her. Suguroku, in all his years and wisdom, understood this as he looked at the frail, shaking woman before him. He had known Sami for a year, and he knew well enough that she possessed the soul of a warrior. To see it shattered was difficult for him. He patted her arm.

"Don't lose hope, young lady," he said calmly, "What exactly happened?"

"Amber was the one who caused the fire in the first place," Ryou answered on Sami's silent behalf, "Sami went to chase her, and when we found her…"

"She knew exactly what to look for and where to strike," Sami growled bitterly, and the silence fell over the room again as everyone turned to her, "She did this on purpose, to show me that she has the power to wipe Oblivion out. And now she's going to kill him because of my foolishness. All to take me down for something I have no knowledge of doing. I can't delay now, I have to go after her." She stood suddenly, and Ryou took her arm to stop her. She wasn't ready to leave. She was still broken from what Amber said, no matter how hard she wanted to hide it. And he had to stop her, just this once.

"You can't!" he cried, and when she looked at him sternly, he asked, "Where on earth would you even begin?" That sly smile he came to understand as her way of affirming his fears returned. Despite her sadness and anger, there was a spark in her eyes now, one that said she already planned her next move _very_ carefully. Ryou was almost afraid, except that he knew Sami would be all right.

"Flamenco's," she said, and when Ryou stared in disbelief, she explained, "It's the perfect place. I never understood why she'd work there and throw me out, but if what she said is true, it makes more sense. Pierre is a weak man, and he won't be able to go against her if he found out what she did. Everyone else quit because they worked under _me_, and they have no loyalty to Amber. And with no protection, it's the perfect place to hide her operation, whatever that is." It _seemed_ logical, but a lot of aspects made no sense. They'd been there just two days beforehand. There was nothing unusual about the place, except for the decorations. But somehow, Yami seemed to agree with her. He nodded knowingly.

"Flamenco's first, then," he stated without question. Ryou couldn't believe they were going to do this, so soon after what happened. Sami just snorted softly.

"We might need proof of the danger before we can search the place," she replied easily, "I can get Pierre to let us in, but we need to know just what to look for. She's unskilled, but it's clear she's not an idiot. She'll have hidden the orbs… and him… very well. It may not even _be_ at Flamenco's currently, but I do know that there's something there."

"So what first then?" Yugi asked curiously, "Do we split?" Sami shook her head. That was the worst idea in this situation. She would've rather not sent more corpses Amber's way. Besides, they still had one pressing matter before thinking of how to save their world: getting out of Winbourne. That wasn't a task to be taken lightly, and with most of the inhabitants dead, no one could help them, either.

"We get out of here," she corrected, "Then we think about what to do. I'll go and do a reconnaissance mission, see if I can find anything remotely helpful. I doubt the train will be able to help, but there should be a source of power strong enough to open a portal and warp us home." What she didn't mention was her second goal, to search for any clues as to if the blonde man had been captured or not. She prayed he was safe, but Amber knew he had the orb now. He wouldn't be, no matter where he was. Ryou already sensed her intentions, and he crossed his arms sternly. As much as he hated magic, he didn't want her out there alone. Amber could easily kill her now. Though, he had to admit, he wouldn't offer much protection in a fight, either. He might give her five seconds to run, but that was all. It was still better than nothing.

"I'll go too," he said, and when Sami looked at him squarely, he said, "It's my world in danger. At least let me try and help." Sami studied him carefully for a minute, unsure of just how effective he'd be. But she wasn't about to argue. Any help she'd get, she'd take. She nodded.

"Agreed," she stated, and then her tone went grim again, "I don't know what's out there, Ryou. But don't leave my side unless I say so. Any questions?" She meant the request for Ryou, but Yugi's hand shot up. Opinions were welcome, albeit very much needed, and she nodded to let him speak. And he proved to have a good question indeed.

"What caused the fire?" he asked her, "Was it one of the orbs?" Sami hesitated. Then, she nodded.

"Yes. The spell is called Flare," she explained calmly, "Some call it Solar Flare, and some use the original Esper tongue, 'Soenfrulakt,' but it's been cut short to just Flare. Literally, it causes a widespread sea of fire upwards into the heavens, feasting on the ethers perpetuated by magic. It literally feeds itself until all life around it has died." Yugi went silent at that point. It was no wonder then, that the spell had been sealed. Sami waited a long moment before she left, but when no one spoke again, she and Ryou made their exit. A long road awaited them.

The outside was a terrifying place, with or without the corpses of the dead littering the streets, the fires having decimated most of the city of Desbin. The fetid smells carried throughout the city, wafting toward the inn even in the few seconds Sami had kept the door open. Rotten meat was already drying in the silent night, no longer cooking in the searing flames of what had been the Flare spell. Sami looked around. Nothing had remained, and she wondered how many had survived the spell, if any at all. At the very least, Vaerd and Belphegorus remained. But who else? She looked down. As the one Amber hated, the one Amber wanted to kill, she felt solely responsible for the death of the people living here. How could she have let this happen?

Eventually, she realized Ryou was still with her. The boy was looking over the city as well, but his emotions were of amazement, not of guilt. So much magic had been displayed, so little had lived through it. He couldn't even believe Sami wasn't able to produce the same effect. Except that he knew very well she wouldn't, even if she had that power. And he knew how she felt. Gently, he placed a hand on her arm. She was still shaking, but whether it was with fear, anger, or shame, he no longer knew. She had brushed all three aside when they walked out.

"Think we'll find what we need?" he asked her quietly, feeling as though his voice were three times louder than he wanted. She looked down the road, her eyes never blinking as she took in the scene.

"No idea," she replied, and frowned, "I don't know what to look for. But that's a problem for later. Let's go." Ryou nodded, and she led him down the street. They tried to ignore the barrage of dead faces as they passed, but both found it hard to do so. Everyone, in some small way, resembled Sami, and it pained her to look upon their brilliant wings or elongated ears. But they were no longer of that world. She felt no magic from them. So she pressed on. But one body in particular caused Ryou to stop, with Sami not even knowing it. The body was cold, the white clothing on it burned and tattered. But the long, elegant black hair had been unharmed, and there were two black wings on the top of the man's head. But what drew Ryou in the most were the open eyes. So lacking in fear; they had been fully expecting this attack. Nay, they were even waiting for it. Ryou was looking at the face of a warrior.

Ryou was looking at the face of the Incubus from before.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

After finding that Amber is the cause for concern, Sami attempted to stop her. And somehow, she unwittingly gave Amber the final piece to the puzzle of the orbs. And now they need to rush to find her. Can Sami and Ryou find a way out of danger? Will Amber succeed in getting the last orb? Will Ryou's world still stand when they get back? Find out next chapter, so click that Review Button!


	17. Enter Aeon: Sami's new BFFL

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Takahashi thinks it's about time I get Ryou out of hell. He's too innocent for it, Takahashi says.

The road was long, and the night was clearly just starting, as Ryou and Sami trudged down it, in the hopes of finding some clue as to their escape. But, as Sami warned, neither had any idea what they should've been looking for. The search wasn't easy, not that they had been out for long. But as they were walking, Sami realized a true problem that would come up: her stomach was growling hungrily, and she knew it'd been some time since either of them had eaten. And she had no intention of heading back to the inn empty. In truth, she had no intention of returning at all, but she knew they'd need to pick up their friends. Sometimes she damned friendship into the abyss.

They turned onto another street, a quieter, smaller one, when her stomach roared again. This time, Ryou stopped. That was a good cause for concern. Not because she was hurt, but because he knew her effectiveness dropped when she was hungry. Neither would be able to think straight. But as he looked around, he also saw that there was no place to even get food. Everything had been destroyed; food included. Solemnly, he led her to a bench. Even if she couldn't eat, rest might do her some good. At the very least, it'd take the edge off her anger. Or so, he hoped.

"Not a damn store in sight," Sami grumbled, as he sat her down, "We need to eat, Ryou. Call me a gnome, we shouldn't have left the inn without food!" He just chuckled. That was a good point, one he almost argued with. But he had understood her haste. He just gave her shoulder a pat, smiling assuredly.

"We'll eat when we get back," he reasoned, much to her dismay, "Besides, I'm not hungry." Just to prove his words wrong, his stomach let out a growl that easily rivaled hers. He blushed with embarrassment. He didn't want her to think he was in any more danger than he was. And technically, being hungry _might_ put him in danger. She just shook her head, smiling slyly.

"Your stomach says otherwise, my friend," she reminded him, almost amused. His blush just worsened. That was true enough. But even with that truth, there wasn't much either could do to alleviate that. There was no food for them to eat. Sighing, he leaned his head back and looked upwards, toward the night sky. The wind whistled just slightly, the only noise aside from themselves that rattled the desolate city.

"Let's just rest," he suggested. Sami just snorted. Rest was no alternative to food, and no matter how much of it she got, she'd need to eat sometime soon. Likewise, so would Ryou. Besides, there were other implications to resting.

"In this cold?" she inquired, "Ryou, we'll freeze. Not to mention we need to be keeping a lookout for monsters. Even if Amber destroyed the city… there could be other things that might harm us." Ryou nodded in silent agreement. For a few moments, neither said a thing. The air was heavy with the nighttime, and the weight of death was thick around them. Finally, though, Sami took out her phone and handed it to Ryou as she said, "Call Malik. Let him know what's going on. Chances are, we may have been gone much longer than a day or two." Ryou nodded again, and did just that. It rang a few times, and then finally picked up. And the voice on the other end didn't sound too good.

"_WHAT!?_" Malik yelled angrily, and then forced himself to calm when he heard Ryou, "…sorry, buddy. Kaiba's been arguing with Katt ever since Sam left. It's escalating, and Ishizu's still angry, too. Nothing's going too well. Is this important?" Ryou's face paled a little. Now he actually felt bad for interrupting what sounded like a battlefield.

"Sami thought you should be brought up to speed on what's going on," Ryou replied. He couldn't see Malik smile. But he heard his friend's interest rise dramatically.

"Really? You sound pretty grim about it, buddy," Malik commented, "Something happen?" Ryou's lips thinned, and he knew Sami was watching him for any sign as to how Malik was doing. He looked at her for an answer, and when she heard Malik's question, she nodded an approval. He took a deep breath.

"Well… it's a bit unbelievable," Ryou began, and then explained to Malik what had happened with the train, and then in the city. Malik listened intently, eyes widened as Ryou gave the details. It seemed too unrealistic, but there was a tone to Ryou's story that clearly said the boy wasn't making any of it up. Besides, Malik doubted Sami would allow him to fabricate such an intricate lie, even if it was to cover anything up. When Ryou finished, he whistled loudly.

"Sounds like you got yourself into a lot of trouble again," he commented, laughing, "She's got a way to get out, right?" Ryou blinked quickly, unable to figure out just how to calmly tell Malik that they were currently working on that. Sami just raised a brow, wondering what Malik could've asked to make the boy pale so much.

"Yeah," Ryou said offhandedly, quickly changing the subject, "Listen, we've got another problem. There's someone who might come back to Domino, who's really, really dangerous and will kill you if she thinks you're connected to Sami." He winced when Sami gave him a warning glare, but he ignored it. He had to warn Malik on what was happening. Besides, she was the one who wanted to inform him, anyway. If she had a problem, she could yell about it later.

"_What!?_" Malik exclaimed, barely processing what Ryou just said, "Okay, back up. You just said some _psychopath_ is coming _here_? Because of _Sami!?_" Ryou just bit his lip. Malik was on the verge of either laughter, or a complete panic. Just as exasperated, he asked, "What the hell did she _do_ to warrant an assassination attempt!?" At this point, Sami was getting sourly annoyed. She took the phone from Ryou before he could even realize what she did.

"Does it matter what I did!? Just stay in the damn house," Sami growled shortly, and both Ryou and Malik stepped back, taken by her sudden words, "Malik, you're smart. You understand this danger, right? Well, we're putting you on alert. Make of it what you want." Ryou personally thought she was being a bit on the harsh side, but he understood the necessity. She couldn't afford to be gentle right then, and they both knew Malik could choose not to heed her. But Malik just couldn't be that stupid… could he?

"A-all right," Malik stammered nervously, "Don't throw a tantrum, Sam. I'll keep everyone here safe. Especially Katt." Sami paused. Katt… Katt was probably in serious danger if Amber was playing to kill. The blonde man had the protection of the orb… temporarily. But Katt had no such help. Amber would kill Katt if it meant hurting Sami in any way. And Sami couldn't let that happen. Her fists clenched as she held the phone.

"Malik…" she began darkly, her voice firm despite the painful revelation, "…protect my sister at all costs."

"No problem, Sam," he replied assuredly, "I'll do what I can. She's safe with me." Sami had to believe in that, and after a quick farewell, the two hang up. She pocketed her phone, and then leaned back to look up into the sky. Another problem was added to her plate, which was already close to breaking. Ryou gave her a pat on the back, knowing she was getting exhausted. But it did little to help her.

"_SON OF A SUBMARINER!_" Sami finally screamed, pounding her fists on the bench, "She knew exactly how to hurt me! That rotten, little whore knew what to look for! She's been watching me for two years!" Ryou's eyes widened as he saw the wood beneath them creak under the force of her anger. He edged away nervously. In outrage, she could easily reach over and slug his face, and he wanted to put some level of distance so he could duck if she tried.

"Sami, calm down. You didn't know!" Ryou tried to remind her. But any comfort he wanted to give was lost. Sami was too upset by this. She seemed to not even hear him.

"Calm down!? Ryou, you could be next!" she exclaimed to him, "You, or Yami, or even your father! Any of you could be her next target, and I can't protect any of you! Damn it… Kaiba was right."

"Don't you dare believe that for a second," Ryou warned her, looking her dead in the eyes, "Sami, if you let him win, that's like giving Amber the gun and telling her to shoot. You can't give up! So what if we're in danger again? It's not like it hasn't happened already. Yami and I fully accepted the risk when we heard your plans beforehand. We're not backing away, and I know Yugi would follow you to the ends of the earth." Sami looked away. That was all too true, and that was the precise reason she was so worried. She could be leading them all to their graves, and they wouldn't question until it was too late.

"Then… let's end this before that happens," she replied, and closed her eyes as she aimed her sword. Ryou blinked, wondering what she was aiming at until a powerful beam of light cut through out of her blade, toward the blackness as she said, "Heilgruikt." The beam speared through the darkness, and Ryou saw it hit something tangible and true. A monster of shadow, he realized, which stumbled backwards, crashing onto the street. Sami stood up suddenly, but Ryou was much less brave. He knew that if one monster was there, several others surrounded them as well. He took her arm, dragging her away from the bench. And then he ran.

Ryou didn't know where he was running to, as they rounded a bend and went down another busy-looking street. Shops lined this street, as well as a few apartments, but Ryou ignored them. He could see in his peripheral vision that things were moving toward them still. But what he didn't understand was that, by running away, he inadvertently forbid Sami from taking any of their pursuers down. And it was Sami who posed that problem plainly and strongly.

"Where in hell are we running to!?" she demanded, trying to yank her arm away as they were running, "I can't kill them, damn it!"

"Don't care!" Ryou panted, glancing back for just a second, "Need to run! Need to escape!" He saw her brows crease in annoyance, but she posed no problem after that. Finding a small alley, Ryou dragged her in there as several monsters stormed past, taking absolutely no notice of them. Ryou just sighed in relief. Sami, unfortunately, wasn't nearly as happy. She looked around flatly; all she could see were brick walls, and one door leading into one building.

"Where the hell did you take us?" she asked him, "They're going to kill us if your plan ends as far as this." Ryou just growled, wishing she had a little more faith in him. He might've been panicked, but he did have a decent idea. He walked to the door, testing the knob. It was locked, just as he expected.

'_I'm guessing you want _my_ assistance now_,' came Bakura's voice. Ryou almost chuckled physically at the annoyance. But he caught himself. It'd only confuse Sami if he laughed. His lips thinned accordingly, both because Bakura was right, and because Sami was close by.

'_I was hoping you'd tag along, actually,_' Ryou replied calmly, trying to jerk the lock off the door, '_But… just why _are_ you here, anyway?_' He felt Bakura grumble something incoherent for a second, in a different language. Then the old thief just shrugged.

'_Because you felt complete and utter panic_,' the spirit replied easily, '_As to tagging along, you ran out the damn door before I even knew what was wrong!_' Ryou actually did chuckle at that. Bakura had been right, but in their defense, Sami was the one who left. Ryou just happened to follow. But ignoring that, he brought Bakura's attention to their current problem: getting inside the building and away from danger.

'_Sorry. Anyway, we found some monsters, and they're chasing us. I managed to find a building, but it's locked_,' Ryou summarized, '_Could you get here and break the lock?_' For a moment, Bakura didn't answer. Then, Ryou heard laughter in the back of his mind. He blinked. Bakura found this funny! He found their problems amusing! But why? Ryou asked what he was laughing at, and he immediately regretted the answer the spirit gave.

'_Well, when you left, the city was fine_,' Bakura pointed out, grinning, '_How do I know you're not finding an excuse to take Sami to an empty place and battle your own inner demons? Preferably the ones keeping you from a relationship with her?_' Ryou's eye twitched. How _dare_ that asshole bring up such a problem! His fists clenched as he tugged angrily on the ring.

'_DO NOT EVER IMPLY SUCH A THING TO ME!_' he screamed in his mind so loudly, it momentarily shattered the connection between the two. Bakura reeled away, Ryou feeling the old thief slip away. Then, he came back carefully, trepidation coloring his every step.

'_I'm sorry. It was a joke,_' Bakura said apologetically, '_Look, sooner or later those problems are going to come up anyway, so you might as well face them, right?_' Ryou's scowl merely worsened, and fueled with the knowledge that Bakura was actually right, he finally physically screamed.

"_GET OUT OF MY MIND!_" he yelled, and Sami's eyes widened in horror. She wasn't afraid of _him_, but she knew monsters must've heard them. There was shuffling behind them, and without wasting a second, she blew the door open with a gust of wind, bringing Ryou inside and then locking the door back up. She turned him to face her, her worry telling him he'd gone overboard.

"What happened?" she demanded calmly. Ryou gulped, realizing his anxiety must've been showing. And indeed, it was. His skin paled, but his cheeks were burning with red. Sweat was rolling down his forehead, and he was trembling with rage. And not a little; Sami was worried he'd collapse on the spot. Clearly, he was furious. But she had no idea what could've ignited such a vicious response.

"Nothing," he growled, looking away. Sami tilted her head. Clearly, it wasn't nothing. But she respected him. So, she left it at that, deciding instead to scope their surroundings.

The store itself was quiet, peaceful. But Sami had learned long ago that such peace was a deceit in and of itself. The store was dark, everything silhouetted in black, save for the tiniest sliver in the front where the wane streetlamp outside flickered on and off. No sound came from anywhere, save for the ragged breathing of the two companions off to the side. And nothing moved. In such stillness, there was never any peace. Sami took a step. Despite her agile movements, her footfall echoed around the large store, as though she had stepped next to a microphone. She froze on the spot, and silently said, 'There is a person in here.' Ryou looked around, wondering where and how she even knew that. Then he saw a door in the back of the room. Somehow, it stood out as being even darker than the shadows that cloaked it. He tugged her, and pointed to it.

"From there?" he whispered. Without a word, she led him quietly toward the door. They passed shelves of unknown novelties, but Ryou didn't dare to look. In a world of demons, it could've been anything. When they reached the door, she motioned for him to stand still as she bent and pressed her long ear to the door. Ryou didn't know what she heard, but she had heard a definite noise. She leaned back and nodded grimly.

"Stand back," she commanded. Ryou had no need to argue, so he moved back as she kicked the door with such force, that it flew open despite it being locked. The resulting sound was shocking amidst the silence from before. But she paid no heed. She merely walked in, with Ryou running behind her. The back room was long, but narrow. But what surprised Ryou was that it was lit. Blue light radiated off the walls, but not from any visible lamp. As they walked in, Ryou saw that the light was coming from a person. And that person was watching them. Dressed purely in white, with shocking white hair, the person was exuding the light. Sami froze again, her eyes widened as she said, "Aeon."

"Who is he?" Ryou asked, blinking as he took in the man. His clothing was styled like that of aristocracy; a white tailcoat with a black scarf, white dress pants, and white boots adorned his slender frame. Black gloves covered his hands. And in his hands were a pocket watch… and then a sword with a clock on it. In his right eye sat a monocle. He was simply sitting on a bench, waiting… watching them. Sami's eyes narrowed as she crossed her arms.

"A time keeper," she replied, "And the one who held the X-Zone orb." Ryou stared at the man. _That_ was a time keeper!? She had mentioned them just once, and his hopes for them had been drastically different. But this man… he looked nothing as Ryou expected. The man just clapped, standing up stiffly. Sami's hand went to her sword, but he was unafraid.

"Now, now, lady Sith, if you do that, you know that Bahamut will find you," he replied calmly, "Are you going to kill me because the orb was stolen?" Sami's eyes just narrowed further. Whoever Aeon was, it was clear Sami was _not_ on good terms with him.

"Amber informed me you _dropped_ your orb," she replied bitterly, "Are you saying she lied?"

"Yes. Most probably to turn you against me, when you found me," he replied, a smile gracing his face, "It was stolen as I watched you from the Time Chamber, watching as your ages rewound, to the detriment of nothing. Ah, how fragile yet mysterious time is." His content with what happened did nothing for Sami.

"Are you telling me you knew of this!?" she demanded, and grabbed his collar, "Damn it to hell, Aeon, why did you do _nothing_!? It was your job to help me!" Ryou stepped forward, fearing Sami might actually kill Aeon. But Aeon seemed completely in control of himself. His smile didn't fade at all as he touched her hand gently.

"With all respect, Sith, there was nothing I could do," he replied warmly, "This was beyond the natural flow, beyond magic itself. Neither myself nor the Lord of Time could fix it." Sami let out a heavy sigh, and dropped Aeon abruptly. She turned away, either thinking or fuming about something. Ryou looked at her carefully, knowing she was angry at what she was told. Then he looked to Aeon. Perhaps the man knew something they didn't. He had seen time, or so he said.

"Can you tell us how to stop Amber and fix what happened?" he asked innocently. But Aeon waved the question away, tapping his sword against the floor. The tip made a _clink_ as it hit.

"Against the rules of Time," Aeon stated simply, "I would be interfering if I were to tell you how and if you defeat Amber. And, as part of Sith's squadron on the ESB, that would get me killed." Sami finally turned, a low growl issuing from her as Aeon spoke. Just because he was on her side, never meant he had to help her. She knew that all too well, and understood the difficulty in dealing with his kind. Even then, though, she wouldn't let him leave without answers.

"Then what can you tell us?" she asked through gritted teeth. Aeon looked at her, and smiled warmly again. Ryou knew that look; the blonde man gave it to her as well, but to a much more intense degree.

"That there is a way to escape here. The Lord of Time permitted me to come to you to aid you out," he replied, stepping closer to Sami, "As my dear, old friend, you have those privileges." Ryou saw Sami blush, and the same hatred he felt for the blonde man crept into him, this time for Aeon. Why was every man from her past like this?

"How do we get out!?" Ryou demanded, perhaps a bit too angrily for anyone's liking. Aeon looked at him, his smile vanishing. Ryou noted the change with a certain level of disapproval aimed his way as well.

"Ah, yes, _Ryou Bakura_. I've been warned of you," Aeon said warily, "Take heart in knowing that I have no wish to cross you in any way." Sami blinked profusely, wondering just what was actually going on now. She had dismissed it with the blonde man, but she actually knew Aeon. He had been in her life since her childhood _in Ryou's world_. Why did _he_ harbor ill will toward Ryou?

"What is the problem?" she asked, as Ryou and Aeon stared at each other, both remaining completely silent. Yet, in their minds, they were speaking clearly to each other. Finally, they glanced at her, both wearing nearly the exact same expression. It was almost creepy for her to see.

"Nothing," Ryou replied as Aeon said, "Worry not, Sith." Unfortunately, that never cut it for Sami. She knew hatred when she saw it. But she let it pass. Aeon wouldn't hide it if it was important. Besides, they had other problems besides rivalries.

"…what was this way you mentioned?" she asked Aeon, deciding to get to their initial problem first, "What did the Lord of Time send you for?" Aeon's smile returned as she spoke, and he took out something from his pocket. It appeared to be a pocket watch as well… but it didn't have a clock face, and it had three buttons on it. His eyes lit up as he saw it, handing it out to her.

"This," he replied almost lovingly, "A device to travel from one world to another in the blink of an eye. Untested, but stable enough." Sami took the golden watch, holding it in her hands. It was warm, as though it'd been used many times already. That would explain how Aeon was able to get to Winbourne at all. But to Ryou, it simply looked like a watch. His brow rose expectantly.

"It looks like a regular watch to me," he stated, unimpressed, "What does it do?" He took it from her, but Aeon quickly snatched it, his brows creased in sudden anger again. He didn't even want Ryou to touch the thing.

"Don't be a fool!" Aeon hissed defensively, "The Clockwork Portal is a rare artifact given to only those in league with the most powerful of Espers! You could never grasp its true ability!" His eyes softened when he spoke again, "As to its powers… it teleports you from one position in one world, to that same position in another world. Say for instance that you are standing in your house, which is seventy-two point eight longitude. Warp to another world, and you will be in the exact same position, seventy-two point eight longitude, in that other world."

"Powerful," Sami said in awe, "Beautiful, Aeon. Do many have this?"

"No. Only the few people who work with you do," he replied, and laughed, "Be warned that sometimes that could warp you right to your grave. Many of us have warped only to land in lava, or underwater, or in space itself, and died for it." In any normal situation, Ryou would've chuckled at the folly. But this wasn't the time for that. Aeon was serious, and Ryou had known magic was all too real. That threat was possible. Sami pocketed the watch, and then looked up at Aeon again. She seemed worried about something, and tapped her chin as she looked out toward the far end of the store front, toward the window. Even from there, she could make out wisps of shapes gliding softly, so subtly that it was almost unnoticeable. That was the source of her grim undertone now.

"You're aware there are monsters out there, right?" she asked Aeon grimly, "How do you plan to escape if you give us this watch?" But the problem was already a non-even to the man. He waved airily again, twirling his sword. Then he aimed the point at Sami, but not in the threatening way Ryou anticipated.

"Actually… I was hoping you would take me along," he replied. Sami blinked just once, and Ryou saw, just a second, that if Sami hadn't pocketed her watch, she'd have dropped and broken it with that remark. Obviously, taking a time keeper along for the ride wasn't on her to-do list. Ryou just raised a brow, wondering what Aeon could've done to help them further, anyway. Technically, even interacting with them was interfering with the flow of time.

"Tell me you joke," Sami stated, almost flatly, "Aeon, is that even allowed?" Aeon hummed gently, looking around the narrow room as though he were searching for something. His smile widened, and he glanced sidelong at the older woman. He looked so damn smug about his answer. Ryou was sure it might make Sami take his sword and shove it up the man's spine.

"Seeing as how my two jobs regularly conflict each other, and how you take top priority over the Lord of Time, I'd say it's allowed," he replied easily. But that still wasn't enough to even remotely convince Sami of his merit. The Lord of Time was tricky, and if Aeon pushed his patience too far, there was a chance the young man would be erased from space itself. And as much as she'd be amused with the outcome, it'd cause too many problems later. She sighed heavily, took Ryou, and took him out of the room, signaling Aeon to wait. He did so.

"What do we do?" Ryou asked, when they were far enough away for the man to not hear them. Sami looked especially taxed now. Her brows creased in frustration and she shrugged.

"We've got no choice, we have to let him come with us," she replied simply, shaking her head, "Damn it, he must've pulled a fast one to be able to pull a crazy stunt like this." Ryou watched Sami's expression nervously. She was mad, but he couldn't tell if she'd actually act on it or not. There were times Sami's outrage was too bad for her to do anything, and on those rare occasions, Ryou feared for the fate of his world if she settled down. But right now, she seemed more annoyed than actually angry. He tried his luck.

"Won't that mess with time, though?" he asked. She shook her head.

"He says it won't, and I'm inclined to believe him," she answered seriously, "Aeon's a crafty one, but he doesn't lie. Besides, there's too much at risk for all of us for him to want to lie. He could lose his job, and his power, and both myself and the blonde man could lose our lives. None of us wants that." Ryou bit his lip. Apparently, this no longer concerned him or his world, and he just didn't like that. This was, after all, _happening in his world_. Sami noticed his unease, and tilted her head expectantly. He didn't disappoint her.

"Sami… how on earth do you know them now?" he asked her, "You said you didn't remember the blonde man. What happened? If Aeon's a time keeper, how did you meet?" Sami just smirked. That was a valid question; she never did explain _why_ she took a job as crappy as Flamenco's if she clearly had better talents. Ryou had a feeling he'd find out the truth.

"I never did explain the ESB, but I guess you deserve to know," she replied, "Two years ago, after we stopped the Mystics, there was a small conference debating the protection capabilities of this world between some of the Espers and myself. We agreed that your world needed a team of specialists to help deal with the problems until they're… corrected. So, they hired me, placing me in a group alongside three others.

"Aeon was one, and he's the one in charge of making sure that the natural flow of time and space isn't interrupted. Normally, it shouldn't be, but you know what Amber just did," she continued, "Katt is the second, and she and I work independently sometimes, even though we're sisters." That didn't surprise Ryou. Katt was never usually home, and he supposed their 'jobs' explained it. But that left the last member, and when he asked, she nodded and held up one finger.

"Who is the last member?" Ryou asked, even though he knew his answer. And Sami confirmed it.

"The blonde man," she replied, "The sharpshooter, so to speak. Each of us has separate jobs as members of the ESB, and as teammates. Aeon's job is both the easiest and most important: contain any magical catastrophe until _we_ come. Katt's is the second easiest. She's the scout of the team. Mine is arguably the hardest, because I'm the one who goes in the direct line of fire. And the blonde man…"

"…is there to protect you," Ryou concluded. Sami just nodded, and an awkward silence developed between the two. Ryou couldn't help but feel jealous of their teamwork, but the man was the reason Sami was alive. Likewise, Sami was just watching Ryou. He knew she felt his jealousy, and he knew that just as before, she disapproved of it. He decided to change the subject with, "So you don't even know his name?" Her expression changed drastically, and she looked down. He realized his change actually made things worse, not better. And he regretted it.

"He refused to give a name," she replied quietly, "There's a reason Katt and I work separately." Ryou frowned gently as well. He remembered Katt's reaction to the man, however long ago it was. It had been powerful, almost as hateful as Ryou's. Sami didn't harbor such ill feelings. He guessed the _only_ way to make the team work was to be separate. Which was ironic, as it seemed to defeat the purpose of the word altogether. He silently chuckled.

"Well, now we know why you were targeted and why the man's following you so much," Ryou reasoned, stubbornly trying to bring his spirits up, "And we know Amber's going after him. And we know now that'll break up the team you have. But how come you didn't tell me this before? Did you think I'd be mad?" Sami shook her head. He didn't think that was a possibility, anyway. Sami was adept at diffusing his anger.

"We were asked to keep it secret," she told him, "Every world knows about the ESB, as a way to travel and communicate legally through all worlds, but not many know how we actually operate. The Espers are dedicated to preserving magic, and it makes it easier if we don't have humans trying to interfere. We don't like lying, but I couldn't risk our jobs." Ryou nodded slowly. That actually made a bit of sense. It made a lot of what happened a bit clearer now. If Amber was a half-breed, she'd know instantly of Sami's incredible power. That's why she shot her; the bullet wasn't magical and couldn't be traced by anyone without a witness. And the sole witness she had was in severe danger by her anyway. And she knew Sami would figure out her puzzle, too, and wouldn't report the attack and further endanger Ryou's world. What had been assumed to be the work of a complete idiot quickly turned to be a move of pure genius to Ryou.

"So she's playing with you," he said, referring to Amber. Sami nodded, her sly smile forming slowly.

"She wants to make absolutely sure that all four of us are in the same place so she can destroy each of us," she replied, "She knew I'd come after her if she went after Katt, which it's clear she's probably going to do soon. And she knew the blonde man would follow me no matter where I went. And if she created trouble in front of me, she knew Aeon would show up to stop it, too. She nearly succeeded." Ryou knew where the flaw was. Katt hadn't been involved at all. And he knew Sami did that purposely.

"Think Katt will know to get away?" he asked. Sami's grin just widened. She had no doubts about that. Katt was, after all, her sister.

"She'll know we've been tricked once she sees Amber," the woman replied, "And if Malik happens to die, then she'll know to run fast. Trust me, Ryou, this was planned more carefully than you think. The only reason it's bombing is because Amber involved Tiamat and other worlds entirely." Ryou couldn't disbelieve that. Throughout most of it, Sami had remained in control, almost scarily so. Was that why the blonde man had been so calm despite her possession of the crystal? Had they anticipated that? But Sami herself had been shocked by it. Then he realized she had also been calm while she volunteered to wear it. It was only _when_ they found it that she seemed perturbed. And _when_ was the key: Amber was obviously moving faster than they'd thought, but she was doing just as they expected of her, which was abusing her own power.

"Then let's get Aeon and get back," Ryou said after a moment, "You guys are close. I don't know any of the details, but I know you guys are close to this. Katt's going to need to be filled in, assuming Malik hasn't done so, and the blonde man needs to be found." Sami nodded.

"I'm glad you agree on this," she commented. Ryou didn't want to say that he still had his own opinions about it. They had too many problems to deal with already. The two simply went back to the room, and Sami told Aeon they'd take him. He seemed overjoyed at the news, and clasped his sword onto his back. Without another word, the three of them left for the front of the store, with Sami taking the lead. She looked out the window as the other two kept a safe distance back. The shifting shapes had more form now; she could detect multiple movements instead of it all seeming like one grand motion. She took out her sword, and beckoned Aeon close. Aeon did so.

"More of them," she told him, "Our goal is to protect Ryou right now. I didn't tell him what my theory on Amber's decisions are, but he's an important part of our mission. Protect him at all costs." Aeon just nodded, and when their briefing was done, Sami turned to Ryou and beckoned him to follow as well. He joined them, and then without warning, Sami threw the doors open. And then, she simply stepped through, toward the shifting shapes outside.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

With the arrival of Sami's own teammate, Aeon, it looks like now Ryou can finally get out of Winbourne and go to his own world again. But what other information will Aeon have once they get back to their friends? And will Katt be safe until Sami reaches her? What of the blonde man? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!


	18. Aeon's Greatest Contraption

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh or Aeon from Castlevania. Takahashi owns Yu-Gi-Oh, and Konami owns Aeon. And technically, so does Takeshi Obata.

The street seemed relatively safe when Sami walked out of the store front, Aeon directly behind her and Ryou walking alongside her. The shifting from inside the store was quickly resolved from the flickering streetlamps; when they finally went steady, the shifting stopped. That was enough for Ryou and Aeon. But Sami, who had far keener senses, wasn't likely to be so persuaded. Her eyes darted to the left and right quickly and often, and her ears kept twitching, as though hearing something close by. But all that Ryou could hear was the wind. He tried to calm her down by tapping her shoulder, but the older woman wouldn't be dissuaded. Sword in hand, she stopped abruptly to look around, only to sigh in frustration and continue onward. Even Aeon grew tentative and on edge from her movements as they walked down the road, eventually turning the corner that'd take them back toward the inn.

When Sami had found the street to the inn clear, she beckoned to the other two. They joined at a respectable distance, knowing fully that when she had her sword out, enemies weren't the only ones in danger. If they kept too close, she might hurt them, as well. Luckily, it didn't come to a battle. There were no monsters anywhere, and while Ryou still enjoyed the temporary peace, it only seemed to make Sami all the more anxious. She _knew_ better than this.

"Once we get back to Domino, I'll go and put the ESB on alert. They'll want to know that our orbs are gone," Aeon whispered, as they came closer and closer to the inn. Sami just nodded, but said nothing. She was still looking for what obviously wasn't there. Perhaps her nerves had finally snapped, Ryou wondered.

"Will you two be fired?" Ryou asked innocently. Aeon just snorted, but Sami didn't answer him. She needed to keep her focus on their safety, even as they came toward the steps to the inn. Aeon took Ryou up them, and Sami was the last to enter the building, making sure to close the door and lock it so nothing followed them. Then she lowered her sword, letting out a sigh as she slumped against the wall. And noticed that everyone else was watching her. She looked at them flatly, blinking just once. If they wanted to know, they'd ask Ryou what happened.

"You guys made it!" Yugi exclaimed, deciding not to let the silence build for once, "Did you find anything?" Ryou nodded, and Yugi turned to him. He noticed Aeon right behind, and tilted his head quizzically. He had never seen the man before, and pointing, he asked, "Who is that?"

"His name is Aeon," Sami replied, as Aeon bowed low, "A friend of mine who came here to help us out." Everyone looked at each other, wondering how someone could do that. It took Amber most of her power just to send them here. And _she_ was still part Mystic. Aeon had to be even more powerful to be able to come here of his own free will.

"Is he an Esper?" Yami asked, figuring that was probably the case. But to his surprise, Aeon just smiled and shook his head, leaning against his sword. In the hush, they could hear the small clock on the sword's blade tick.

"No, but I work with them," he said, glancing at Sami for a second, "Anyway, I gave Sami the device needed to send you back, and I'm the one who had one of my orbs stolen by that no-good wench of a woman. I want it back, as well. Therefore, I'm going to go with you for a while." Sami nodded when Yami looked to her for confirmation. Then she took out the golden pocket watch, handing it to Belphegorus, who held it up with interest. He had never seen such a tiny trinket before. But unlike Aeon's clock, it wasn't ticking. His brows creased as he gently shook it. Still no ticking. Finally, he frowned.

"What's the problem?" Bakura asked, standing up as Belphegorus handed him the clock. It was easily worth millions. But Bakura knew better than to try and sell it when they got back.

"It no longer seems to be functioning," the demon replied, bewildered about it himself, "It may be missing a piece." Sami turned a flat glare to Aeon, who paled immediately. Judging by the look on his face, he hadn't known it was broken. But that didn't stop her from wanting to blame him for it. He backed away, knowing that fact too well as he raised his hands in surrender.

"I swear I didn't know it was broken!" he cried, as Sami advanced on him slowly, "Come on, Sith, you need to believe me!"

"I'll believe you once I'm done strangling you," she stated furiously, "You gave me a broken watch!" Aeon's skin went white now. Unfortunately, there was nowhere left to run to unless he wanted to go back outside. Belphegorus stopped Sami before she managed to lunge at the white-clothed man, much to Aeon's relief. He sighed audibly.

"No need for slaughter yet, lady Sith," the demon said calmly, holding her collar easily as she struggled, "It's simply out of power, and its old core has been exhausted." Again, though, Sami's glare was upon Aeon. He'd been using it before he gave it to her, so technically, it was still his fault. Ryou just chuckled. He couldn't imagine Sami being overly difficult to work with, but Aeon seemed pretty afraid of her now. He turned to the demon.

"How do we renew it?" the boy asked. Belphegorus hummed, setting Sami down as Bakura gave him the watch. This time he opened it. Instead of a clock face, there was a gem. It was dull. Belphegorus took it out and showed it to Ryou. At one time, it must've been beautiful. There was no solid color to it, and he knew that meant it was a clear gem, possibly a diamond. Renewing it wouldn't be easy.

"We may need a new one altogether," the demon explained after another look at the gem, "It's quite old. But finding one will be even more difficult now that our world's been battered so badly." Ryou looked down, and Sami cursed angrily. Yet another reason as to why Amber attacked. _She_ must've anticipated _Sami's_ moves as well. Ryou looked at Sami gently.

"We should try," he said. Neither needed him to finish his thought. They both knew he wanted to go home. Everyone probably knew he wanted to go home. Sami just sighed, shaking her head. Nothing would ever be as simple as Ryou wanted. She turned to Belphegorus, tapping her hand against the hilt of her sword. She was getting impatient.

"What do we do to get this core?" she asked him, her tone both serious and annoyed. Ryou felt bad for her. He was asking a lot from her, especially considering that she hadn't rested at all since her shooting. He wondered if inhuman mortality ran out as fast as a human's. But before he could ask, Belphegorus was already speaking again. He had taken a book and opened it up to a page with a giant cat-like creature. Except that it was around three times bigger than a lion, and had a black mane. Its eyes were a deep red, and its tail was spiked, like Sami's.

"Eruls have them inside of their bodies," he replied, "Many are good, but we've have a giant one plaguing the outskirts of the city for centuries. That's the only way to get a new one, and one powerful enough to allow the type of traveling you intend to do." Sami moaned miserably. She knew exactly what this meant: they'd be fighting this particular Erul. And by 'they,' she knew it meant 'herself.' Aeon wouldn't be much help, and no one else was battle-efficient. Her brows creased in a sharp V. There was no use arguing, but sometimes she wished the blonde man were with her. He'd probably kill the thing by himself if she just asked him to.

"Where's this overgrown animal?" she asked tiredly. Ryou frowned. Normally, she had a much more healthy respect for magical races. Clearly, what was happening was weighing heavily on her. He wanted her to rest. But he knew she was the only one capable of fighting off a giant Erul. Belphegorus likewise gave her a sympathetic look as he pointed out the window, toward the distant horizon. Ryou couldn't even see what he was trying to point to, but he guessed it was outside of the city limits, where the demon had mentioned just moments before.

"Prowling, at this late hour," the demon said warily, almost timidly, "We heard a roar of agony a little while after you two left, so we assumed…" Belphegorus's words were lost as Sami's eyes widened and she looked away. Ryou understood, too. What Sami had blasted with that holy beam of light, which he assumed was a smaller monster, must've been the Erul in question. _Now_ he saw why every part of him had wanted to run. That thing would've devoured them, most probably. But when Sami turned to Ryou, he saw that whatever trepidation she did have had faded as she realized she herself nearly fried it with her own spell. She was grinning. Just like the crazy bitch she was.

"Ready to hunt some monsters?" she asked darkly. Ryou's eyes widened in disbelief. They were going on a suicide mission, and she wasn't even afraid! In fact, she seemed almost excited to be going after this thing. Then again, she _was_ non-human. There was very little in his world that could physically defeat her. This must've been the epic challenge she wanted. The only problem that was stopping her was Bakura, as he grabbed her arm and turned her to face him.

"Are you god-shit insane, woman!?" he demanded, "I've heard of Eruls! They will fucking _murder_ you if you invade their territory! You're going to get yourself killed!" Sami just looked at Bakura flatly again, and removed his hands from her arms.

"You seem to think I'm as dumb as you are," she replied bluntly, "Rest assured that we'll be back with this gem. And if we're not, then we weren't going to live anyway." Everyone blanched as she turned toward the door. Without even waiting for their response, she opened it and went out. Ryou just gave them a brief look of sympathy, for he knew too well how dangerous this would be. Then he followed her. Yugi just watched them walk down the dark road, as Bakura just snorted and shook his head, resting it in his palm. Of all the crazy, stupid things Sami was apt to do, this took the cake. And she was involving Ryou, too. If Bakura thought he could've banished her, he would've done it right then.

"I give the crazy wench an hour," he mumbled, and Yami laughed, patting his back. As much as he loved Sami, the old pharaoh had to admit that Bakura was being generous. The Erul might very well eat her on sight. And _then_ they would be screwed.

With the brisk pace Sami set, matched only by her equally brisk mood, it had taken only twenty minutes for them to go from the inn toward the gate leading out of the city. For the most part, they had ignored the destruction used from Amber's spell, but when they reached the gate, Sami found she could persuade neither herself nor Ryou to just pass it by. The gate had crumbled and caved, with only one of the original four towers framing it still standing. Eight guards lay dead, their faces pressed into the dirt as their blood lay in pools below their corpses. Sami bent down to inspect the closest one; she saw giant cat prints on the ground, but they were leading _away_ from the city. Her lips thinned.

"Damn thing's gone now," she told Ryou, as she stood up, "Tracks are over an hour old. Who knows how fast that thing is, either?" Ryou frowned. Sami had a good point. The Erul probably was gone. But it couldn't have gone too far. This was its territory, after all, and with the gate broken, and most of the inhabitants dead, it had enough food for some time. He was sure they'd find it sooner or later.

"I don't think we need to wait long," he warned cautiously. Sami just snorted, her hand going to the pommel of her sword.

"That's what you _think_," she corrected, "Think realistically. My spell knocked it down. And it wasn't a weak spell. It's probably hiding. It may even know we're still out here." Ryou didn't entirely see the logic to her statement. He _saw_ the shadow of the Erul. It was easily five times Sami's height. Why would it even be remotely afraid of her? But there wasn't much use arguing. They had to keep focused on finding it before daylight, when it would definitely be asleep, disappearing to another plane.

"What do we do to lure it out?" he asked her, figuring that he might as well humor her. But she was actually serious about this. She glanced out the gate. The night sky seemed darker on the other side, the grass a deep gray; forbidding, almost, anyone who dared to step on it this late at night.

"I'm not sure," she replied after a moment, "But it's through the gate. That much I'm certain on." Without heeding Ryou's protests, she crept toward the gate, passing the dead guards as she did so. Ryou just cursed, and followed, wishing she'd only listen to him even fifty percent of the time. It felt eerily quiet, even as they passed the gate and entered the vast field outside the city. Not even the wind made a sound as it rustled the grass. It felt wrong.

"Think you actually scared it?" he asked her, keeping his voice as low as he could in case he'd been heard by the Erul. Sami blinked, trying to see into the thickening night. But her night vision was no good without her glasses. She was actually lucky she was able to lead them out of the city; everything looked black and gray to her.

"Probably, but there's a chance _you_ scared it, too," she said, and when he gave her a quizzical stare, she said, "Zerrkandr is a known legendary weapon, Ryou. Even among creatures that can't speak any language known to us, they know of the legendary weapons of old. And stopping the train taking us to Desbin was no easy feat. Such power can easily be sensed. There's a chance both of us combined scared it away. At least far away enough to know we won't find it, but within striking distance if we come too close." Ryou frowned. So this _wasn't_ entirely about Sami. That made him both happy and nervous at the same time. Once Sami was dead, Amber would probably turn to him next, if only to get the sword.

"But I don't have magic," he stated firmly. Sami looked at him for a long moment, as though telling him that that was an obvious point. But he said nothing else. She frowned; she expected him to know a bit more about magic than that.

"You're missing the point," she told him bluntly, "Magic isn't always active. The fact that you can even wield Zerrkandr points to a passive role magic has in you. I wasn't lying when I said I was sure the Mystics wanted you. I just don't know _why_ they would. Even if they kill you, they won't get the Zerrkandr. None of them can wield it." That point did confuse him, as well. Aside from the sword, there really wasn't anything else that would interest the non-human races. He supposed there was the Millennium Ring, but it was clear they didn't want that. Rath had said the items were useless to her, when she had taken possession of Sami. It _had_ to be the sword.

"What are the requirements for using the sword?" he asked her, "And how many are there?"

"I don't even know. There are many legendary weapons, but only three of them are swords. I have one, as well," she said, and took out her own blade, "Zealacht, the bastard sword. My guess is that there are qualities between the sword's maker and its wielder that allow a person to handle such a sword. My only guess for why they'd want you is to study your personality before killing you, to know how to raise a swordsman of their own." Ryou's eyes widened. That was horrible! Many possibilities for that seemed to flood his mind, and he shook his head to clear them. They were too terrifying.

"Are you saying they might clone me!?" he demanded in exasperation, "Or manipulate one of their own during child-rearing?"

"I'm not sure, but that's a good possibility," she replied grimly, "Cloning will be far easier. The only difference they'll need to make is to make sure your clone is firmly on their side, not ours." Ryou shivered. That would be way too easy, and the clone would have a perfect match in terms of personality and attributes. That would allow Rath to have the Zerrkandr. And she'd have someone who could actually wield it. And now, that made him worry for Sami, too. His gaze dropped to her sword. Zealacht, a similar weapon.

"What of you?" he asked her suddenly, "Will they clone you? And did you know about Zerrkandr?" Sami looked down for a moment, her stern expression going toward guilt. She obviously knew.

"I knew someone would be able to wield it, and I knew Rath would come looking," she replied gently, "But I didn't realize it was you personally. I knew the name, I knew the city, but I didn't know the vessel. And as for cloning me… only Amber would be stupid enough to try that. If Rath could've done so before, she would have. Her hold on me during the crystal could've easily destroyed my own mind. I was just collateral damage; a warning, so to speak."

"I hate them," Ryou said suddenly, his voice shaking in anger. Sami looked up at him, frowning as he said, "I hate them all. Amber, and Rath, and that stupid man, and all of them. I want them to leave our world alone." Sami sighed deeply, and placed her hands on his shoulder. He felt a stern strength coming from her, and he closed his eyes. It was comforting to feel such strong power around him.

"Don't act childish," she scolded gently, "Wishing the Mystics away won't help us, and you know the blonde man is our ally. You don't need to worry about me. I'm far stronger than most Chesiers should be. That's why Rath wants me dead. I am a very real threat to her right now." Ryou already knew that. It was _precisely_ that reason that made him hate them all. Sami deserved to live her own life; he didn't even know what she had done to be chased so mercilessly. Even if she had gone intentionally toward them, it was only because they were forcing her to. He had every right to hate them for it.

"Well, what did you ever do to her, anyway!?" Ryou demanded, knowing he must've sounded like he was seven, not seventeen. Sami just sighed. She couldn't remember that, herself. And even if she could, she wouldn't have told him right then. It might very well crush him.

"Does it matter right now?" she asked him, her tone firming up, "Ryou, what we see in front of us is all we can worry about. Even if they know, and we don't, they would never tell us. The only way to find out for certain is to find a way to restore the parts of me that I've forgotten. And that may just be impossible." Ryou shook his head vigorously. That couldn't be so. He refused to believe such a thing! Sami would remember! He'd make damn sure of it, no matter what it cost him.

"We'll go to the Espers, then!" he declared, "We'll look in the ESB. We'll threaten the Mystics! There has to be _something_ on you somewhere, right!? Hell, I'll scour the entirety of Oblivion if you only ask me to! I…" Ryou suddenly stopped, noting that tears were forming around Sami's eyes. And she had never cried before. She sniffled, and then turned away quickly, wiping her tears. As much as it touched her that Ryou would go to such lengths, it also hurt her. He would never succeed. Oblivion was way too large, with too many worlds.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly, "But I can't ask you to do that for me."

"Why not!?" he asked, and without even thinking, he said, "Damn it, Sami, I love you! I can't stand to see you like this! You don't know who you are and you're already being killed for it! I won't let it happen, so why can't you let me do this!?"

"Because it's not your place," she replied sternly, so strongly that Ryou jerked back, eyes tearing up as well, "…Ryou, I love you too, but this isn't your mission. It's mine. I don't want you finding something that's so damaging, so incredibly terrible, that you go insane from knowing it. Who knows… what my life actually held before I came here?" Ryou looked down. That was a good point, and she had every right to search for herself. But he had to know, too. She was part of his life, just as much as he was part of hers. And they were friends. He had to help her.

"If I go insane because of you_ now_, then I was destined to go insane at some point," he pointed out firmly, almost angrily at her, "Look, I know some things are supposed to be personal, but can you tell me what you feel comfortable with? I think everyone needs to know a little bit about you. That would probably help us out, wouldn't it?" Sami had to chuckle. Ryou was right for once. She nodded, closing her eyes as she waved a hand. Ryou barely saw the movement in the dark.

"I concede the point," she finally said, humored by his dedication, "But let's speak on this later. We have a job to do." Ryou agreed, and they took off again. Sami led them around the wall, toward the eastern plain. Gray grass sprawled in all directions, but Ryou noticed a slight difference now; the grass was flattened in some areas. His lips pursed. They were inevitably getting closer. He glanced at the older woman. She was already holding her sword, her eyes set determinedly as she went forward. Ryou took a deep breath, and felt his own sword magically appear in his own hand. He blinked profusely, but when he glanced at Sami, she was just grinning, looking away. She _knew_ that would happen. And Ryou himself wasn't too surprised. The blade was magical, after all.

The plain proved to be annoying to traverse through, Ryou quickly found. The grass had been flattened, but the blades were very long. They clung to his pants and tripped him if he wasn't cautious. Even Sami, who was much more agile, was having a level of difficulty that Ryou never expected to see. She used her sword to correct that, chopping the grass to ribbons around her. The sword was absolutely silent as it hissed through the air, and Sami made sure not to let the tip bang into the dirt. Then, she looked around her. Inadvertently, she had created a large clearing all around her, and Ryou couldn't help but laugh. For all of her strength, sometimes it worked against her when she was trying to be stealthy. His laugh deepened when she saw what she did, and blushed furiously. Normally, she wasn't so quick to destroy the natural environment.

"Nice," Ryou commented, and Sami just glared for a second, not appreciating his patronage. Then she heard a definite rustle. Her pupils thinned and she quickly turned toward the north. Unfortunately, Ryou's hearing wasn't as sensitive. He crept to her side, unable to hear or see what she was looking for. "Sami, what's wrong?"

"We found our friend," she whispered grimly. Ryou's skin went white. That was incredibly fast, considering what Belphegorus said to them. She patted the boy's arm, knowing he was probably scared shitless at that point. Then, she crept forward even further, her boots making no noise upon the dirt. Stopping a few feet ahead, she listened again. More rustling, but this time it was behind her. Her brow rose, and then she realized what was happening. _They_ had been stalked, not the other way around. And she had been the one to blow their cover.

"_SAMI!_" Ryou screamed, and Sami immediately turned. And growled. The Erul had definitely found them. Standing at twenty-five feet at the shoulders, with forelegs the size of tree trunks, the hind legs even thicker, it towered over both of them. Its fur was entirely black, its mane thick and wavering in the night wind. Sami saw fury in its golden eyes. Drool was issuing from its sharp fangs, which it snapped at them. She gripped her sword until her knuckles went white.

"Damn it," she said, not even afraid to see the thing. Ryou watched her in terror as she jumped upwards, her signature move, slashing the creature's chest. But for all of her strength, it didn't even dent the thick bristles of hair. She fell to the ground, the Erul roaring its anger at being stricken so suddenly. But Sami was up quickly, and sheathed her sword again, closing her eyes. If might wouldn't work, she prayed magic would.

"_Seirfreug!_" she yelled, and held out her hand. A searing line of fire erupted from her palm, leaping from the woman to the beast facing her. Embers fell to the ground, and Ryou was glad she had cut down the grass. They'd have been caught in the flames if she hadn't. The spell was connecting, and patches of fur went up in smoke, the acrid, burning smell making Ryou retch. But Sami endured the terrible odor, and the Erul began howling in agony. Sami just smiled; she had found quickly that fire was the bane of the monster's existence. She didn't relent, even as the spell ended. But she wasn't quick enough, either, for the Erul had smashed her with its heavy tail, sending her sprawling to the dirt. Then it turned on Ryou, who was frozen as he stared into those golden orbs of hatred. His arm refused to move, to wield the Zerrkandr, even as Sami yelled for him to attack. But he couldn't. He couldn't murder again, even as the Erul drew breath. He closed his eyes, wondering how painful magic was to die from.

"_Schild-magie_!" Sami screamed, suddenly up and pulling Ryou back just as the Erul breathed its petrifying spell. A wall of hardened air formed before the two, and the spell didn't reach them. But Ryou didn't have time to thank her, for she was already moving again, this time sending another line of flame toward the beast. But it was repelled. Sami's eyes narrowed, half expecting that to happen, and instead said, "_Weislager!_" Ice broke through the dirt around the Erul's mighty paws, clamping them to the dirt. The monster roared, shaking and struggling to break free. But Sami's willpower was far greater. It howled and twisted, shaking its massive head in all directions.

And then it heard the whistling of air. It stopped, looking straight ahead of it. Into the glow of purple that was coming toward it with lightning speed. Into the purple-silver blade of the Zealacht. And into the steel-jade eyes it had never known to fear. The last thing it saw was the tip of the sword cutting between its eyes, its blood gushing down its muzzle to the ground. Then it saw darkness. The mighty creature crashed into the ground, bones snapping as its paws finally freed themselves from the biting ice. Ryou watched in horror as Sami landed in the pool of crimson blood. Then she walked toward him, the blood running down her arms and legs. He was glad none of it was hers.

"Dead?" he asked, that being the only word to form in the nightmares of his mind. Sami nodded stiffly, sheathing her sword. She turned to the corpse of the mighty creature, her tail thumping in irritation.

"It killed itself," she replied emptily, "Tired itself out trying to break free, and lost all of its willpower in its panic." Then, she knelt down, and Ryou saw tears running down her face. But she didn't sob. She just stared at the corpse, unable to believe that, not only was she forced to kill it, but that she had. And not for the first time, she regretted her actions. Over a hundred men dead from her hand now.

She couldn't dwell on the death for long, though. Reaching into the deep gash her blade made into the creature's skull, Sami searched for the core they needed. Ryou saw her cringe at the feel of blood, of bone, but she persevered. When she pulled out the large gemstone, along with tendrils of sticky blood, Ryou nearly threw up. But Sami just wiped the blood off, looking at the gem. It was pure white, emitting a pale glow on her hands. And it felt warm, too. It _had_ to be what they needed. Ryou looked at it, mesmerized. It was a beautiful piece; his father would want to put it in the museum.

"Is that it?" he breathed, as Sami pocketed the gem. She looked at him, and nodded.

"If it isn't, Aeon gets to die," she remarked, and Ryou just sighed. It really wasn't the man's fault, but Sami was in a testy mood. Aeon might as well have shot himself when they first found him.

Without even looking back, Sami and Ryou walked from the plains back toward the city, the first hints of a fading sunrise over the horizon. Ryou smiled, but Sami was much less enthusiastic. He glanced at her, and then looked down. There really was no sense in being happy about what happened; they were still in trouble, Amber was still out there, and now Sami had murdered a mystical beast. Banner day, so far. Ryou just patted her shoulder, but neither said a word as they crossed the gates and went down the silent, desolate road. The inn came to view within minutes, as their pace was fast for the early morning. It all seemed so quiet. And the inside of the inn wasn't much better, either. No one else, save for Vaerd or Belphegorus, was even up. And the two eyed the warriors curiously as they walked in. Sami merely held out the gem, but said nothing. Belphegorus's eyes widened in shock.

"Amazing!" he roared, and Ryou was sure that, if his friends had been asleep, they wouldn't be for long, "Praise to Dunkel, this is the finest piece I've seen!" Sami just blinked tiredly, noticing that their friends were already coming down, indeed risen from the demon's loud shouts of impress. Ryou patted her back again. He could feel her exhaustion was getting the better of her. He knew she needed to rest soon. She just shook her head, either to clear it or to dispel his worry.

"Wonderful. Can you get us home?" she asked impatiently. Ryou heard Bakura snort. If it had been _Zork_, she wouldn't have been so insolent. She'd have been dead. Ryou tried to ignore the thoughts in Bakura's mind as he watched Belphegorus take the watch and open it again. He took out the old core, handing it to Vaerd, and put in the gem Sami had handed him. It was a nice fit, and they heard a whirring sound as Belphegorus shut the top. He smiled, exposing his large fangs.

"All you need to do is press the button on the top, and you'll be warped to your world," he replied, and then held up an index finger, "I warn ye just once, though. You may not end up where you think you'll be. With a new core, it may have some trouble adjusting." Sami just nodded, but Ryou could see her eyes glazing. He had to get her into bed so she could just sleep. Rex, unfortunately, wasn't nearly as accepting of the watch's power.

"You're kidding me!" he cried in alarm, "That piece of crap can't even warp us to the right city!?" He glared at Aeon, who had just come down the stairs sheepishly, "What the hell did you give it to us for!?" Aeon was obviously still afraid of Sami's very real death threat, for he nearly retreated right back up the stairs. It was only because Yami had been right behind him that he refrained. Luckily, Sami's anger seemed to have faded. She turned to Rex.

"That's going to help us," she pointed out, her voice trickling with annoyance, "I suggest you shut up so we can go home, or we're leaving you here." Rex blanched. He would've loved to argue, or put Sami in prison, but she was right. He just stuffed his hands into his coat pocket, sulking over to where she and Ryou stood. Joey, Mokuba, and Yugi slung bags over their shoulders, and ran over as well as Yaten and Suguroku packed the rest of the supplies Vaerd gave them. Sami just frowned sadly. The blonde man should've been with them. And yet, he wasn't. Ryou wasn't the only one to notice her dismay, either. Joey bit his lip, and turned to the large demon.

"Okay, Captain Crinkle. Send us home!" he declared, trying to remain optimistic. Belphegorus raised an amused brow, and handed Joey the watch. The boy immediately pressed the button on the top, and quickly, too quickly, the group vanished from Winbourne. They spiraled through a long, winding tunnel, but only Mokuba was terrified of it. Everyone else had learned to expect such a response when dealing with magic. Sami and Aeon weren't even afraid. They merely waited with grim silence for when the ride ended. Ryou reached for Sami's hand, to try and keep up with her. But as soon as he was about to touch her, blackness covered his vision. And then, he heard nothing as he landed on something. Something very, very hard.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

After killing the Erul and getting the core needed to fix Aeon's watch, Ryou and his friends are warped from Winbourne to the unknown once again. Praying that they end up together in Domino, Ryou managed to pass out before landing. When he awakens, will he be with his friends? Will he even be in Domino? And will he find Domino to be nothing more than a barren wasteland? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!


	19. Looking for Friends in high places

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Takahashi's glad Ryou's back in his world, but he insists that I stop screwing with the poor boy's life. I don't know if I'll listen.

The landing had been painful, but Ryou was acutely aware that he was still alive. The fact that he even felt pain told him that. But his mind hadn't adjusted yet, and he kept his eyes closed. Not only in fear, but in the slight comfort of not having to deal with the bright lights that he would be seeing, if he woke up. It had been daytime in Winbourne; there was a good chance it was daytime in Domino as well. Except that Ryou saw nothing but black under his eyelids. But he did hear something. It was the sound of a heavy boot. At first, he thought to just play dead. It could've been anyone, friend or foe. But only one person he remembered actually wore boots: Sami. And so, gaining the courage and forcing the pain out of his head, he opened his eyes. And he screamed.

The gun was aimed right for his throat, and who he saw wasn't Sami at all. It was the blonde man, half his face silhouetted in the darkness of night. There was no daylight at all, and no one would see the man aiming his gun directly at Ryou. Not even Sami, who had better night vision than most. Ryou knew he had done that on purpose. His good eye burned with an inner fire, a psychotic fire that instantly shot terror through Ryou's body. This man was going to kill him here and now. But for what reason now? Ryou opened his mouth to speak, but the blonde man just shoved the gun closer, his insane smile widening.

"Scream and I swear I'll pump all of my bullets into you," he growled, bending down, but his gun never leaving Ryou's throat, "So we meet again, Ryou Bakura. Tell me, did you miss me?" Ryou struggled. The man was putting heavy pressure on his throat, and he felt if the man pressed any harder, he'd suffocate.

"What…. What are you doing here!?" Ryou croaked, "Where is Sami?" The blonde man just chuckled, shaking his head. He released Ryou's neck, but the gun was still very much aimed at Ryou's body. Even if the pressure was gone, the man could just shoot him once, and he'd be gone for good. The man started to pace around Ryou, but he kept his aim true, the smile growing dark. Sinister, in the shadows.

"Sith's safe," the man replied, and shrugged, "But she's not going to come to your aid now. I'm here to settle the score with you, Ryou. I want you away from her." Ryou's arms shook as he tried to sit up, but he noticed the blonde man wasn't stopping his movements. He stood up quickly, facing the man. His good eye was practically glowing with insanity. Was it possible Amber had done something to him? No… if she had, the man would've shot Sami if he saw her. He was genuinely going insane over something.

"I'm not going," Ryou growled back, and then saw the man's eyes widen to something behind him. Then, he was gone in a flash, even as Ryou screamed, "_DON'T RUN AWAY, COWARD!_" But the man paid him no heed. Ryou didn't expect him to. The boy hung his head. He nearly lost his life, and he turned to see what had actually scared the blonde man away. He saw a figure running toward him, but in the dark, he couldn't see who it was. Only when he heard the voice, did he recognize it to be his college friend, Shimbou.

"Ryou!? Are you okay!?" the black-haired boy called, jogging up and stopping alongside his friend, "I heard screaming. Was someone harassing you?"

"No," Ryou growled, pushing past him to walk down the road, "What are you doing here, though?" Shimbou blinked, wondering what could've put Ryou in such a foul mood. Normally, the boy was calm and quiet. Now, he was irritated. Shimbou just shrugged, and began following Ryou down the street.

"Looking for you," the younger boy replied, "Your co-worker, Nanisaka, called me and asked me if you were going to 'drag your ass back into work soon.' Since I haven't heard from you since Sami went ballistic, I figured I should probably find you." He noted that Ryou's skin paled, and the boy couldn't even look him in the eyes. He frowned. Whatever happened, it was bad. Suspiciously, he asked, "Seriously, buddy, what happened? You look worse for the wear." Ryou just sighed. Then he explained what he could, with as little detail as possible. As much as he appreciated Shimbou's concern, he didn't want him involved.

"You won't believe it, but you know Sami talks about magic, right?" he asked, and when Shimbou nodded, he continued, "It's real, my friend. We left Malik's house after dropping some friends off, and this portal swallowed us into another world. It was hell just to get out of there, and now we're back, and I'm nearly killed by this blonde psychopath!" He glanced sidelong at Shimbou, half expecting the boy to think he was speaking crazy. But Shimbou was impressed, and extremely amused. He snorted, and his smile turned sly.

"Is he wearing a ton of leather?" Shimbou asked, "Toting a large gun around and screaming to the high heavens for some woman named Sith?" Ryou's response to the description made Shimbou laugh hysterically. He knew Ryou saw the man. Likewise, Ryou didn't have the heart to tell him that apparently, Sith and Sami were the same person, as little sense as that made to him. He just bit his lip, nodding, his eyes wide with terror at the realization that now, the blonde man was making a definite scene. Shimbou was extremely lucky the man hadn't shot him, too.

"That would be him," Ryou replied grimly, "…did he stop you?" Shimbou laughed again, and shrugged. Obviously, being in the presence of an able hit man wasn't a big deal to the boy. Obviously, Shimbou was an idiot.

"No, I kind of stopped him," came the amused reply, "He was _screaming_, so I asked for a description of this woman. She sounds a lot like Sami, you know? I mean, I doubt it was her, but does Sami have another twin or something? One that actually _looks_ like her?" Ryou's eyes narrowed flatly. Shimbou should've made the connection, but for some reason, it was beyond the boy's scope of thinking. Ryou just ignored that. This wasn't Shimbou's mess, anyway. He just shrugged, deciding not to let Shimbou know that Sami had another name. It'd only confuse him again.

"You know what they say about people having twins," Ryou simply said, and then asked, "Have you _seen_ Sami, by the way? We were separated when we came back. I have a feeling she'll want to know I was nearly shot in the head." Shimbou just laughed again, and then shook his head. His hand gestured toward the entire city at large as they began ascending a small hill, the road curving down the middle of it.

"No, but she's probably not far," the boy replied, and grinned, "She's probably off slaying dragons or something similar. I mean, she owns a sword, right? Maybe she's looking for this great evil that seems to be spreading throughout the city." Ryou's lips pursed. He didn't want to tell Shimbou just how right he actually was. They turned a sharp corner into a narrow alley that cut across the hill and headed for an older section of town, where derelict apartments and old businesses sat, many abandoned, but some trying valiantly to cling to life.

"Probably," Ryou said, deciding to just humor Shimbou, "…wait a minute! How do _you_ know what's been going on?" They stopped, and Shimbou gave _him_ a flat look this time. Anyone could grab a newspaper and see that Domino just wasn't quite right now. He took out one such article and held it up. It was a clipping about Flamenco's being shut down, having suffered a sudden fire. Ryou's eyes widened. A 'sudden fire' had to mean Amber used a spell to destroy it. Which meant she knew Sami would head there. He cursed, and Shimbou just snorted. He'd hit the nail on the mark.

"See?" the younger boy replied, "I didn't think it was natural that Flamenco's burned, either. But there's no proof that it was purposely burned. I thought about calling Sami…" He stopped when he noticed that Ryou's eyes were distant, as though he was thinking entirely on something else. He snapped his fingers and said, "Dude, what's up? You're spacing out on me here."

"We ran into one of the workers of Flamenco's at Winbourne," he whispered, and Shimbou's brow rose, "She's the one that shot Sami, and we're pretty sure she's the one who's causing all the mayhem to begin with. I'm certain she's also the one who burned Flamenco's down." Shimbou didn't seem overly surprised by that, though. He had already suspected that magic played a key role in that. His grin slanted slightly, giving him a smug expression.

"It's that new girl, Amber, isn't it?" he concluded, and Ryou's mouth dropped open, "Dude, Sami never told you I used to go there? When I found out Sami had been fired for _that_ piece of trash, I knew something funky was going on. So I did some investigation. I asked Pierre why he fired her, but he just got nervous and fidgety. It's like Amber has some sort of omni-presence there. All of the workers said the same thing. Every time they try to complain, she shows up and they clamp down. Doesn't that strike you as really, really odd?" Ryou nodded, unable to believe that Shimbou had come so far! He barely knew what was going on, too! Ryou grabbed his arm, looking him dead in the eye.

"This is really important, so answer me," Ryou stated grimly, "Shimbou, did you find _anything_ suspicious? Secret doors, or machines, or orbs of any kind?"

"That's the weird thing. I couldn't find anything pointing to her being anything other than human," Shimbou replied uneasily, "Trust me, I checked. Pierre let me go into the basement, but there wasn't a damn thing there. And then, the place just goes up in smoke. You _know_ this means she was hiding something, right?" Ryou just nodded. He had no idea how to even respond. Shimbou had done good work. They continued on their way, with Shimbou continuing to tell Ryou what he had guessed in the last few days. Ryou listened well; at this point, with Shimbou's theories fitting so perfectly in place, he credited every word the boy said. And if Sami had been there, she'd have probably given him a sword of his own and asked him to fight alongside her. And Shimbou would be just stupid enough to accept.

The alley was very narrow, so much so that Ryou and Shimbou had to travel single-file just to fit. And even then, traversing the walkway was a pain; not only did it already feel claustrophobic, but there were old crates and piles of rotting garbage strewn about. The lack of space forced them to physically climb over everything. Ryou could feel the moisture from the garbage on his skin, and even felt bugs crawling as they went. He wanted nothing more than to take a shower. But he had to find at least Sami first. She'd probably let him go home as she searched for everyone else. Then again, maybe she wouldn't.

"Shit!" Shimbou yelled, shocking Ryou as he heard a crash behind him. Ryou turned and saw that Shimbou managed to slip and fall into one of the piles, and cringed when he heard a distinct squishing noise under where the boy landed. Shimbou grumbled, getting up as though nothing happened. But the poor boy wasn't graceful in the least, and as soon as he stepped forward, he slipped again and fell face-first into another pile. His lungs were assaulted with the smell of rotting food, sickly sweet at first stench. He choked, and Ryou rushed to help him up as he said, "Damn it all to hell!" He kicked the garbage away, still hacking to get the smell out of his mouth.

"Are you okay!?" Ryou asked, brushing some of the dirt off the younger boy's sweater. Shimbou coughed again, shaking his head to clear it. That was a smell he'd never forget.

"I wish I were dead right now," Shimbou grumbled in reply, stomping forward. When the alley turned through another bend, it ended abruptly before a tall, brick wall. Both boys looked up; it went very high up indeed. Shimbou just cursed and said, "You have to be kidding me! A wall!? _Here_!?" Ryou just snorted, shaking his head. That was their luck right then. As Shimbou took to complaining, Ryou looked for a way around the wall. He was getting a strong feeling that something was around it, and he learned that when he had a feeling so powerful, he'd do best to pay attention to it. His efforts were rewarded when he found a ladder, concealed from the shadows of the surrounding walls. He tugged Shimbou's arm.

"Let's go," he said, and hoisted himself up the ladder. Shimbou just shrugged as he watched. There weren't any better options, so he followed shortly after. The ladder wound upwards for some time, but neither dared to look down for fear of slipping. Ryou kept going, only hoping that Shimbou was doing the same. Five minutes passed, then ten, and onwards until it finally reached half an hour. Ryou thrust his arm up, and felt a ledge underneath his fingers. He pulled himself up. As it turned out, the ledge was part of a rooftop. Ryou walked to the far edge, and gasped. The entire city was sprawled out before him, like a king overlooking his vast kingdom. If only Sami could see such a sight!

"What's up there?" Shimbou called from farther below. Ryou turned, not wanting to tear his eyes from the splendid view. It took his breath away, and for a moment, made him forget that they were currently looking for their friends, and for a psychotic killer as well.

"Take a look!" Ryou replied, and Shimbou scrambled the rest of the way up, his athletically-trained body making the rest of the climb easily. He looked over, and felt the same enchantment Ryou had. The city was gorgeous! It was almost sad that Amber was trying to destroy it. As he looked, Ryou took to exploring the rest of the rooftop. His inner feeling grew stronger, and he moved where he felt most guided. It took him behind a generator, where he found a body curled up, shivering in the slightest breeze. Raising a brow, he bent down to examine it. He found a lock of red hair.

"Yugi?" Ryou called. The body moved slowly, but when it finally unfurled itself, he saw that it was Yami, not Yugi as he had thought. The old pharaoh sat up slowly, grumbling as he heard gravel crunching underneath him. Then he saw Ryou. He blinked, at first wondering if it was just a dream. But Ryou was still there.

"Ryou? Where are we?" he asked slowly, mind spinning from his nap, "Is everyone else dead?" Shimbou just snorted. That was a humorous assumption, considering that technically, Yami _was_ dead. Ryou's eyes just narrowed flatly. He had expected Yami to be the first one to go looking for answers.

"Yami, what're you doing here?" he asked slowly, and emphasized his point, "And why aren't you looking for anyone yourself?" Unfortunately, it was pretty clear that Yami didn't feel Ryou should feel any more superior. He returned the scold with an equally flat look of his own.

"I was _unconscious_, Ryou," he stated, "I know I'm powerful, but how much do you expect me to do? I'm still half-human, after all." Ryou's lips thinned. That was _technically_ right, but it wasn't an excuse, either. He pulled the old spirit to his feet.

"Right," Ryou mumbled, "Look, who knows where everyone else is. We need…" Ryou stopped when he realized Yami wasn't even listening to him. The old spirit was walking to the edge, and looking down. The drop was steep, landing in a patch of grass far below. If he angled it right, he _might_ live through it. Ryou knew exactly what he was planning, and he said, "Yami, no! Don't do it! Get back here!" Likewise, Shimbou looked over and couldn't believe his eyes, either.

"Dude, I know you're pissed, but suicide's not the answer! Just go down the ladder!" Shimbou exclaimed. But Yami ignored them both as he knelt down.

"I'm not wasting three years picking my way through garbage," the spirit remarked, and not wishing to hear any more complaints from, in his mind, two very stubborn children, Yami simply jumped off the edge. Ryou screamed as he and Shimbou looked over, but to their sheer amazement, the pharaoh had calculated his move perfectly. He landed harmlessly upon the ground. Shimbou just laughed, looking at his pale friend.

"Damn, that dude is cool!" he declared, and before Ryou could even protest, Shimbou followed the idiotic move. Ryou just grunted, and decided to do the smart thing: go down the ladder.

After the three had been reunited, no thanks to Ryou's slower tactics, they began walking down the dark road, the light having been extinguished in what looked like a brutal assault. The suburbs clearly didn't survive the rush of magic Malik had mentioned, at least not as well as Domino Square. Though the grass was relatively unscathed, anything that could've been destroyed, had been. Houses had been blasted apart, their bricks and glass strewn about the street carelessly. Cars had been smashed as well, adding even more glass shards to the dangerous obstacle course. But what truly proved to be the biggest problem were the trees. Split directly in half, with both halves wilting into the roads, branches as thick as Ryou and Shimbou combined blocked the paths. And behind them, shrubs and thorns added to provide a barrier against their intrusion. This didn't look too good for them. The only plus was that, not too far down the road, they saw a battle being waged. And, the participants were a hulking, black mantis, and Bakura himself.

"_GO, MY FLYING MENACE!_" he screamed proudly into the night sky, eyes alight with madness, "_DEFEAT THAT BASTARD AND BRING ME VICTORY!_" When Ryou saw flocks of pigeons raining from the sky, onto the hapless monster, he knew what was coming next. Bakura laughed madly, as though he had just drunk from the fountain of insanity within the deepest pits of Oblivion itself. It was such a bloodcurdling laugh, Ryou was sure that even Ishtar would be hard-pressed to pose a problem, should Bakura choose to attack him. Quickly, the brush cleared from the road as the monster crashed to the ground, and Ryou ran over toward where he heard Bakura. The old thief was already kicking the carcass of what had once been his intimidating foe.

"Let that be a warning for crossing the true masters of mockery," Bakura growled dangerously, "For I am their new king and no one messes with my birds." He turned, grinning smugly when he saw Ryou. He held out his hand, and as a pigeon landed on it, he said, "Praise our new ally, this beautiful pigeon." Ryou blinked at it, and then stared at Bakura as though he were the craziest person on the planet. Which, considering what just happened, he may have been. But no one made a move to pet the bird, even as Yami and Shimbou came rushing up behind Ryou. Bakura's eye twitched, and then he just lost it.

"_PET THE DAMN PIGEON!_" he yelled angrily. Ryou's brows creased, but he pet the pigeon, if only to humor the deranged maniac. Yami, however, wasn't nearly as accommodating. He smacked the pigeon out of Bakura's hands, causing the thief's mouth to drop.

"Where is everyone else?" Yami asked him, completely ignoring Bakura's reaction. Unfortunately, Bakura wasn't about to let Yami's act go without a fight. He threw his arms up.

"I can't _believe_ you! I trained these birds to _kill_ our opponents, and you don't even acknowledge my hard work! You just… just _swat my efforts away like they're meaningless_!" Bakura cried, eye continuing to twitch, "These birds gave up their _mockery_ to help us, and you smack them away like _disregarded subjects_! What kind of spoilt child _are_ you!? You have some _nerve_!" Yami's eyes narrowed as Bakura continued his slander, completely oblivious to the fact that the pharaoh's patience was on already thinning ice. Finally, Yami lost it as well, deciding to fight fire with fire.

"_BAKURA!_"

"_WHAT!?_" Bakura screamed, eyes _burning_ with insane hatred. Yami wasn't afraid. He just waited for Bakura to calm down before risking the rest of his afterlife.

"Stop being a complete imbecile and help us," he commanded, "Now, have you seen _anyone_ around here?" Ryou had a feeling Bakura hadn't paid much attention to anything particularly important. And when Bakura stared at them all as though they had the nerve to ask him such a stupid question, Ryou knew he was right yet again.

"How the hell am I supposed to know where anyone is?" Bakura snapped, brows furrowing sharply, "In case you haven't noticed, _idiot_, I was _fighting for my afterlife there_." Yami wasn't convinced, though. They'd been in worse jams before, and they'd each come out for the better. He crossed his arms, snorting in amusement.

"It looked more like the birds were winning _for_ you," the pharaoh remarked smugly, too confident for Ryou's comfort. With both of them being spirits, Bakura could easily kill Yami if he wanted. Which, Ryou was sure, he wanted to do. It was only a matter of seconds before the old thief exploded again.

"_SCREW OFF!_" Bakura finally shrieked, "Look, if you want your stupid friends, why don't _you_ go and find them!?"

"Why don't you both grow up before I strangle _both_ of you!?" Ryou exclaimed, and both spirits turned to him, "What in hell's the matter with you!? We're dealing with magic and you're wasting time _bickering_! Seriously, I wish I'd just stayed with that psychopath!" He stormed away, leaving Bakura and Yami to stare in complete and utter amazement. Ryou had _never_ defied either of them so strongly before. They glanced at each other with concern.

"That's a new one," Bakura grumbled, "What's his problem?"

"Let's see… Monsters are attacking the city, we're plunged into eternal darkness, the city's destroyed, and your friends are all missing," Shimbou recounted, and shrugged, "I'd say we're screwed six ways to hell and back. So let's just go." That wasn't entirely the best way to put things into perspective, but it did the trick. Yami and Bakura followed Shimbou as they ran after Ryou.

The park was just a few short minutes away, and unlike the streets before them, it was well lit, much like the square. They had no trouble locating the first of their friends; Joey was standing guard outside of the large clock tower, despite the fact that it wasn't working currently. But they couldn't see anyone else. Curious, but mostly worried, Ryou ran over. Joey saw him, and grinned, waving him over.

"Hey, buddy! We were wondering where you went!" Joey called cheerfully, and clapped Ryou on the back when the boy stopped, "…you look kind of pale. Everything okay?"

"Where are the others?" Ryou asked, without answering. His breathing was heavy, but he put it off to an adrenaline rush. The terror from nearly being shot hadn't completely gone away, and seeing Bakura and Yami acting like children only made his blood boil higher. Joey stepped back, surprised by Ryou's grim, almost angry tone. Clearly, something was very wrong. Joey decided not to stall and see what.

"Yugi and Mokuba are up top, trying to get the clock to work," he explained, "Malik came by after Rex called him. Some crazy person demanded to know where Sami is. I'm pretty sure he's the one who shot her, because he had a gun in his hand. He ran after her when he saw her climbing into the sew… hey, Ryou!!" Before Joey even finished, Ryou was already running. He cursed hatefully, wishing the blonde man had just died already. It'd make his life so much easier.

Ryou ran past the side of the clock tower, and found a sewer grate open, its top lying three yards away. The smell coming out of the opening was atrocious, but he'd bear it. Sami had to be down there. He felt just an ounce of magic, barely a spark. But it was from _her_. And, when Rex came up the ladder, Ryou knew that Malik was there, as well. Rex looked up and grinned when he saw Ryou.

"About time you showed up, Bakura," he said gruffly, tipping his cap, "We've been trying to find a signal to call you from."

"Is Sami with you?" Ryou asked quickly, again without answering. Rex just blinked profusely. He personally didn't understand the worry; Sami was easily able to defend herself. Obviously, Rex misjudged the blonde man's insanity for her.

"No. She went farther down," Rex replied curiously, "Malik was injured, though, so we need to get him out. But he's being stubborn. I'm going to find a medical kit. You go down there and drag both their asses out, okay?" Ryou nodded, and when Rex moved aside, Ryou descended the ladder. The smell was stronger, but so was the spark of magic he felt from before. Sami was closer. Ryou let go and fell the rest of the way down, landing softly. The shaft opened up to a larger, circular cavern with one tunnel leading westward. Within the cavern was a rough-hewn table, and on that table was Malik. Ryou noticed that he wasn't sitting quite right. He walked over.

"Malik!" he called, and Malik yelped, turning, "…you okay?" Malik shook his head, and pointed to his leg. There was a gash, the skin around it purple with injury. Ryou winced, and realized the cut was probably infected. He tore off his left sleeve and bound the wound, hoping it'd hold until they got it properly treated. Malik just grinned, but it vanished quickly. He pointed down the tunnel.

"Your crazy girlfriend went down that way," he grumbled, "And some asshole with a gun went after her. I don't know what trouble she's going into, but we have to help her. I promised Katt I'd help her when she heard what happened." Now Ryou understood why Malik was being so stubborn. He couldn't let Katt down. Except that this time, he'd be forced to. Ryou wasn't about to let him wander around a sewer with such an injury.

"I'm afraid I won't give you a choice, my friend," Ryou told him gently, "You have to get up and get treated. I'll go after Sami."

"You think you can take a psycho down?" Malik asked with concern. But Ryou didn't want to tell him that his fears were correct. The blonde man would definitely shoot him if they met again. He swallowed hard, hoping the Zerrkandr would be strong enough to fend off bullets.

"If not, Sami will probably get him," he said, only hoping he was right. Malik seemed to believe that, and after seeing his friend climbing up, Ryou went down the tunnel. It was dank, and he heard dripping in the distance. The ground beneath his feet was soggy; he was probably close to a trench. He plunged forward, wishing he were anywhere else right then.

Ryou didn't need to go far before becoming completely confused. The tunnel had wound only a short way, but as he exited it, it ended in a balcony overlooking what had to be the entire under-works of the city. On all four sides of the walls within the huge cavern, there were gigantic pipes dumping brown liquid into a pool far below, and small aqueducts that looked like simple threads from that height carried the water elsewhere. It was both amazing and terrifying to see. Ryou couldn't help but shiver.

"Nice view?" came a voice to his side. Ryou yelped, and turned quickly only to find Sami looked at him, amusement scribbled on her face as she asked, "What on earth are you doing, Ryou?" Ryou couldn't believe it! She had been _right there_! He would've laughed, except that he knew someone else was close by. He decided to get right to the point, if only to avoid this _someone_.

"Looking for you," he said simply, "Rex and Malik said you were down here. The real question is, what are _you_ doing?" Sami just chuckled, her wings ruffling lightly. She walked him back into the tunnel, and they began to head back. Ryou couldn't believe it'd been that easy, but when he heard her explanation, he wished it wasn't. There was only one reason she'd abandon whatever she was doing here.

"I saw Amber heading down here," she answered, and then said, "That man followed me, and he said I should head out and stay safe. He's going to flush her out and try to capture her directly." Thankfully, the dark hid the sneer Ryou was hiding. Once again, that idiot of a man was making him feel weak because he hadn't been there for Sami. He hoped Amber killed him, even though it'd probably upset Sami a great deal.

"How nice," he said sarcastically when they came to the ladder. Sami looked at him warningly, but he didn't hide how he felt. He just climbed up the ladder, back into the city, with her coming shortly after. Everyone else had already assembled around the grate, waiting for their return. But what disturbed Ryou about it, as he saw Rex, was that the detective couldn't find a medical kit. Malik needed one very badly, though he was currently acting like nothing had happened. He waved for Ryou and Sami to walk over, which they did.

"You find what you needed?" he asked Sami. She shook her head, and sat next to him on a bench.

"No. Nothing down there but garbage," she stated tiredly, and Malik decided not to ask about the blonde man. Sami then noticed that there was red human blood on her pants, and glanced at Malik suspiciously. She saw just a tiny bit of the makeshift cast Ryou created, and raising a brow, asked, "What happened?"

"Nothing serious," came the equally defensive reply, "Just a scratch." Sami blinked, and shook her head again, ripping the cast off. She gasped audibly; the wound was throbbing. She looked up at Malik seriously.

"A scratch, huh? It looks infected," she commented, and frowned, "As much as I don't like you, I'll have to fix this. So don't say anything." Malik opened his mouth, and then understood what she meant when Sami closed her eyes. He felt power coursing through her, very quickly, and very strong. Whatever she was working on, it had to be a complex spell. Her eyes flew open again and she said, "_Remeidr!_" Malik looked down at his leg when he felt tingles of cold running up his nerves. The wound was binding itself! He looked down at Sami, and the two smiled, for just a second. But Rex was already on his way over, and Malik's smile vanished.

"Look, Winchester, I don't want to rush this, but Malik told me there were monsters running around earlier, and if Bakura is right, too, then we need to move before we're next," he told her, and Sami stood up. Monsters weren't a good sign, but she had expected them to be here, anyway. It meant Amber was close. To everyone's confusion, she smiled slyly at the news.

"Right on target, then," she said, "All right, let's go and talk to the others. If we're lucky, Mr. Suguroku is with them by now." Rex nodded, having come to the same action. He tipped his cap again, and helped Sami to get Malik to stand. His wound was bad enough to warrant support, and Rex gladly offered the help. But as they moved to leave, Bakura tapped Sami's shoulder again. She sighed, wondering what his problem could've been.

"What about Yaten?" the old thief asked her, and Sami just snorted, walking away.

"If he's stupid enough to not run the hell away, then I think he deserves to die," she said sarcastically, even though Ryou knew she was actually serious. Bakura just shrugged. That was enough for him. They left the clock tower at that point, and began to slow walk out of the park altogether.

By the time they'd reached the western side of the suburbs, where Malik's house sat farther out, the first few stretches of sunlight were spearing through the horizon already. The going had been slow due to Malik's leg, but they made it within two hours, and he was eternally grateful to Sami for it, too. Without her magic, he wouldn't have been able to walk at all. His house came into view within a few moments, and excitedly, he pointed toward the obscured path that wound through a small grove, right to his house. Rex took it, with Sami and Ryou following immediately after. Bakura had taken to keeping the others in line, but when Malik decided to just get to his house alone, all hell broke loose as Mokuba and Yugi rushed to try and help him. Sami just sighed.

"Should we bother?" she asked, when Malik actually fell over, having been hindered more than helped. Ryou just laughed.

"Think your magic could stop their shenanigans?" he countered, as Shimbou finally decided to do things his way and carry Malik up the steps. Sami just sighed again. Something told her this meeting would go even worse than the last one. She hoped that Ishizu would handle it better, too.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

After finding his friends scattered throughout the city, the group heads back to Malik's to make sure the others are well, and to figure out where to head next from there. Will Kaiba have changed his mind and give them the directions to his island? And will Katt be able to help them this time? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!


	20. Not the best Help in the World

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Takahashi does, and he finally says that if I can pay for the wedding, Sith and Ryou can truly get married.

It'd taken a good ten minutes before anyone was even on the porch to Malik's house. By that time, the sky was already lightening to a darker blue, bright around the horizon, where the sun was just peeking up to greet them. Ryou noticed Sami was watching it almost quizzically, as though she were surprised to see such a sight. Then he remembered that they should've been. Whatever Amber had done, it should've kept the city in the dark. But for some reason, it was losing its effect. And Sami wasn't the only one to notice, either. Yami and Bakura watched in silence, as well, marking the sun's pace as it slowly rose. Even Rex was disturbed by it, shielding his eyes as he looked directly at the few rays of pale light. Something wasn't right.

"I didn't think we'd be seeing sunlight so soon," Rex commented, and looked at Sami, "What's the matter, you think?" Sami just frowned, her gaze slowly leaving the sky. She didn't want to know the possibilities it could mean, but she did know it wasn't a blessing. The sun still wasn't strong enough to keep the monsters at bay, if they existed.

"I think she's planning stage three of her revenge," she said grimly, crossing her arms, "She's running out of power, and she's probably pulling back, but that doesn't mean we can rest easy. She still has four of the five orbs." Ryou nodded, taking a deep breath. For all they knew, she might even have the fifth right then. Then he cursed. He should've asked the man about the orb when he had been cornered. That would relieve some of the worry, at least.

"If I summon the Winged Dragon, we may be able to find the last orb," Yami offered, but Sami shook her head. Using their own monsters wouldn't do much good. She knew the blonde man would catch on and hide. She'd have to confront him herself. That would be the only way to get the orb.

"We'd be better off leaving the man to run on his own," she replied, and looked down, "I'll find the last orb myself. He won't let anyone but me near him." Ryou just nodded his agreement. Technically, the blonde man _would_. He'd just kill that person five seconds later. Rex just shrugged it away, though, and brought out a pair of cuffs.

"If he brings out a weapon, I'm getting him for public hazard," the detective said. But everyone ignored him. Bakura just frowned as he watched the band of blue get wider with each passing second. He'd seen this before, so long ago.

"Zork allowed just a tiny ray of morning to shine through before he crushed Egypt," he murmured, and both Yami and Sami looked at him with grave worry, "It's a scare tactic, if you ask me." Sami bit her lip. As much as she wanted to believe him, something told her that wasn't entirely the case. But Zork brought up a good analogy. He _had_ enshrouded the world in darkness, much like Amber was doing. Only he was much more powerful. She looked over at the old spirit.

"What happened at that point?" she asked. Bakura glanced at her suspiciously.

"Why would you ask?" he countered calmly. Sami noticed he seemed defensive toward her, as though she personally caused him hesitation. She didn't feel that was overly fair. She hadn't done anything to cause Zork… but then again, had she? She didn't know. She sighed, and looked toward the sky again.

"We're probably dealing with a similar case," she explained simply, "I just thought if we have a reference, maybe we could stop her." Bakura hummed. That was an interesting way to go about it. But this was a bit different. Zork didn't use orbs; he used his own power, a source so incredibly evil, that the world had no choice but to succumb. Amber was just childish. Still, if it'd help…

"I'll try my best to summarize it," he said, "When I summoned Zork, the world was encased immediately in a black shroud. Monsters did appear, like it is now, but on a grander scale. They weren't normal monsters; they were undead. It took Ra to defeat them, and even then, the dragon alone wasn't enough." Sami frowned. That certainly didn't sound promising.

"Tell me you got him," she said, looking over at Yami. The old pharaoh snorted, and nodded as he held up the three God cards. Sami could barely see them, but she understood his point.

"We had to call all three of them and combine them into one being to slay Zork," he replied, and then pointed at Bakura with his chin, "As for Bakura and I… that's how we ended up sealed within our items for eternity." Sami's grim expression fell away. So they _did_ die honorably. She had often wondered how they came to be. She looked away, and frowned again. They sacrificed themselves for it.

"That's… not an end I'd like to take," she whispered. Ryou suddenly glanced, his eyes locking on hers for a moment. For just a moment, there was a spark between them, an understanding of just what might actually seal the orbs. But it fled before Ryou fully comprehended it. It was like a premonition. Did that mean Sami would have to die? No… it couldn't! This wasn't like Zork. At least, Ryou wanted to tell himself that. But he knew there was a part of him that understood what her words had actually meant. It wasn't a fear; she was saying something that he knew would be true soon. It made his stomach turn.

He had little time to digest that, however. As soon as Malik was at the door, he was knocking on it. There was no response, and Ryou heard Malik sigh heavily. He turned, and saw Malik was pounding on the door. Still, there was no answer. Joey, who'd come up along with Shimbou to help support Malik, looked over at the black-haired boy, who shrugged just as helplessly.

"Think they're even home?" he asked. Sami turned around and walked over now, wondering how far Malik would go until he gave up. She didn't even hear movement from inside.

"It's more likely that they fled," she stated, and crossed her arms, "But then why not even tell us?" That was a good question. Ryou didn't think fleeing was the case. That wasn't Katt's style, anyway.

"Katt, open the damn door!" Malik exclaimed, and this time, they definitely heard shuffling. Ryou barely saw Katt's frame in the window.

"Depends. Are you supporting that asshole still?" she asked, and Malik sighed. Their argument over who was actually right, between Sami and Kaiba, had escalated badly after Ryou and his friends had fallen into Winbourne. And it would probably only get worse if he didn't get in his house.

"Are you still mad!?" Malik cried, unable to believe her unreasonableness, "Katt, I was making a joke! Come on!" But anyone who knew Katt knew how stubborn she could get. Sami wasn't in the mood to play, either. She pushed her way past Malik and pounded the door to the point of the wood splintering. Malik opened his mouth to protest, and then closed it. If she did that much to a _door_, then she'd probably turn tail and haul him off with one shot, too.

"Katt, _let us in the goddamn house NOW!_" she growled. And that was all the warning Katt needed. She shivered and opened the door immediately, not even blinking when Sami stormed through and into the living room. Tea and Ishtar were sitting in the living room, and now Miho and Tristan had also joined them. But to no one's surprise, Kaiba wasn't in the room. Sami glanced around, and then looked at Katt quizzically.

"Where _is_ Kaiba?" she asked curiously, raising a slender brow. Katt looked away, and Sami didn't need to answer to know he probably wasn't in the house. Tea, however, proved her wrong.

"He's in the kitchen, cooling off. Seems he and Katt can't see eye to eye on this," she explained quietly, and then asked, "What about you? Did you find what you needed?" Sami hummed sadly, her expression softening. She shook her head and sat down, laying her forehead in her palms. Ryou and Yugi joined her, both of them concerned with how she ended up in the sewer. She hadn't explained anything to anyone, but it was clear whatever she was doing was exhausting her. After a moment, she looked up at Tea again.

"No, nothing," she replied, and then to Ryou, she said, "Aeon's disappeared again. I'm worried Amber got to him… and the blonde man… he could be dead by now…" Ryou tensed. He didn't want to tell her that the man was alive and apparently well. Katt seemed just as hesitant, too, but she did walk over and give her sister a hug, Sami's wings ruffling in worry as she did.

"You'll see him again," Katt stated calmly, "He always shows up when you're in danger." Ryou just grumbled under his breath. That was true enough, and if he kept showing up, Ryou might very well end up dead in the near future. Sami still didn't seem convinced, but they didn't have the time to prove her fears wrong. At that moment, Ishizu walked in, her skin pale and her body shaking. She looked as though she'd seen something so horrifying, she'd faint on the spot. Sami stared wide-eyed as Malik and Ishtar rushed over to help her, with Odion running down to aid his sister as well. She practically fell into a chair, her eyes wide in terror. Gripping the arms, she stared at Ryou and Sami. There was a ghostly energy about her that neither person liked.

"Our world is ending as we speak," she said in an eerie, distant voice, as though it weren't actually hers, "You have failed, Sith Winchester, in your duties and in your promise. You have… one day before Omega is unleashed. Get to the desolate island and kill the one releasing the sealed magic." Everyone looked at Sami, knowing fully that Ishizu's message was aimed directly at the woman. Sami's visage became grim, almost scowling. That was more than enough warning for her. She stood, everyone looking up at her in either fear or shock. Even though they had no idea what Ishizu was _saying_, didn't mean they didn't get the message. Sami was heading out to find Amber, this time alone.

"You're not actually going out there alone, are you!?" Rex asked her as she passed him, going back to the front door. She stopped just once, looking at no one, and nodded. What other choice did she have, anyway? That wasn't Ishizu speaking; that was Bahamut himself.

"That's exactly what I'm doing," she replied grimly, "Out of my way."

"Sami, you can't go out there!" Miho cried, "It's suicide!" As if that would stop Sami in any way. Sami looked at her for just a second, and then pushed past Rex. But he wouldn't move. Even if he disliked her, he didn't want her killing herself, either.

"You _are_ insane! Think about this for a minute! We just need…"

"Don't you people understand that we don't have time anymore!?" Sami snapped angrily, turning to face them all, "Amber has all of the orbs now. I can't stop and _think for a minute_ because there is nothing to think about! I _must_ kill her! I have no choice! We failed! I… I failed…" She looked down. Her sword had gone in her hand instinctively, but what was she going to do with it? Slaughter them all because she failed? Katt bit her lip and walked over, taking Sami's arm and bringing the woman to her seat again. Sami made no resistance.

"You didn't fail," Katt said, but on the inside, she knew exactly what Bahamut was saying, "We have some time."

"Not much of it, though," Malik pointed out, and when Katt glared at him angrily, he said, "Look, Katt, I know you want to help Sami, but she's got a point. We're out of time." Katt sniffed, dismayed at the truth to Malik's words. It wasn't all Sami's fault, damn it! Just then, Kaiba came out of the kitchen, having heard Sami's outburst. Malik looked over and furiously growled, "Just the man we want to see."

"Where are the directions to your island, Kaiba?" Ryou demanded, standing up and striding to the young man. As much as he hated having to confront anyone, he was doing this for Sami's sake. And he also had a sword. If needed, that would convince Kaiba to help. And by the look on Kaiba's face, Ryou would need every advantage he could find. The older man just smirked, crossing his arms and tapping his foot.

"Why the hell should I help you two!?" Kaiba demanded, equally as frustrated. When Ryou went to protest, Kaiba cut him off and said, "I don't give a shit, Bakura. Look, I'm no idiot. I don't believe in this magical faerie tale Winchester weaves, but I'm not dumb. Every time she heads out there, something gets blown to pieces. I won't risk my company." This time, Sami _really_ had it with Kaiba. She stood up and smacked him across the face so hard that she managed to draw blood. Kaiba fell backwards, crashing into the table. Tea and Mokuba both protested, but Sami simply pushed past them, grabbing Kaiba's collar. As much as she understood the man's reasoning, there was a limit to selfishness. And when Kaiba stared into her eyes, he knew he'd reached it. Her irises were crimson.

"Then I hope you're happy knowing we all die because of you," she growled, and threw him back to the floor, "I have no time for cowards. I'll find that damned island my own way, even if I spend the entire night flying across the world."

"What if you can't find it?" Yugi asked her, and she looked at him gravely. He knew what she was silently saying. That was probably how it'd play out. Silently, he wished her good luck, and she started for the front door again. Despite the opposition of every one of her friends, Sami couldn't let Amber win now. She'd taken too much, including a good chunk of Sami's own life. The fact that she now had both Aeon and the blonde man was just more fuel for the fire. Ryou didn't miss the hatred in Sami's eyes. This would be an all-out war. Just as the woman threw the door open, Kaiba spoke again. And it was only his voice that halted her steps.

"Hold it, Winchester," he said, and sighed audibly, "The island's three miles off Domino Bay, toward the east. There's a natural land bridge connecting the island to the shoreline." Sami just gave him a stern look. Again, her powerful expression told him exactly what he needed to hear: if she found he was lying, he wouldn't be breathing for much longer. He nodded firmly. She turned to open the door, when she heard the faint click of a pen. And she glanced back. Attention had been focused to Rex.

"Okay… down at the bay… a land bridge… there! Got the directions!" Rex stated, and held up the pad. Unfortunately, Sami hadn't been able to see them. She wished she had her glasses with her. Tugging Ryou's arm, she pointed to where she thought Rex was. Ryou looked down at her, and then sighed. He just patted her back as Bakura took the pad and looked at it in amusement. Then he just laughed, slapping the pad on the table.

"You call those directions?" the old thief asked mockingly, "Looks more like some kid on crack went loose with the Crayolas again. We can't use _those_." Rex's brows just creased defensively, and he threw his arms up.

"Sure we can!" he exclaimed angrily, "My own father wanted me to be a cartographer! I _know_ how to make maps!" Unfortunately for him, no one else shared that opinion, and as Yami grabbed the pad, Rex said, "Hey! That's federal property! Don't make me book you for petty theft!" Yami ignored him, giving the notepad to Ryou to properly examine. Not that Ryou needed to. He saw clearly the level of depth Rex had gone to. Or lack of it. Sami tugged his arm again.

"What the hell is it!?" she demanded, as Bakura and Ishtar began taunting Rex over the map. Ryou just sighed. She should've just let well enough alone.

"Nothing," he replied, and then to Kaiba, "I have your directions." Kaiba just nodded absently. Even if Ryou didn't, he wasn't going to repeat them. Ryou was about to turn to tell Bakura to quit taunting the flustered detective, but when he saw the old thief, he saw a reign of absolute terror. Rex had pushed Bakura so hard, the old spirit was flailing back, going straight for the statue of Obelisk that decorated the small walkway between Malik's living room and dining room. Ishtar ran immediately to try and help him, but there was little help. In just a matter of one moment, Bakura crashed, and the statue wobbled uncertainly. Then, it toppled over. Ryou watched it all in horror. The entire stone formation fell, shattering upon the floor. Ishizu rushed in at the noise, and saw only the piles of crumbled stone. With Bakura and Ishtar lying amidst them. She fell to her knees.

"The… the statue!" she cried, as Odion came rushing down the stairs from hearing the noise, "You… get out, both of you!" She pointed to the two spirits accusingly, her entire frame shaking in utter outrage. Ryou bit his lip. That wasn't entirely fair. But the statue was utterly destroyed. Ishtar stood, dusting his cloak off. Then he turned to Ishizu defiantly. Bakura was more than willing to just leave, but Ishtar wasn't about to be blamed for what he didn't do. Technically, what happened was Rex's fault.

"We didn't mean to!" he declared angrily, "Rex pushed us! We…"

"_OUT!_" Ishizu yelled, and both spirits rushed away in terror. Her breathing became rapid as she realized that her most prized statue was gone. Odion helped her up and sat her in the nearest chair as Malik walked over, getting her a glass of water. Clearly, neither of them had ever seen her this upset. Sami joined them, if only to hand Ishizu a cold cloth with some ice in it. Malik knelt down, looking up at his sister with concern.

"Will you be okay?" he asked her gently. She nodded, wiping her warm forehead with the cloth. She took a deep breath, and nodded.

"Those two are never allowed here again," she whispered, even though she and Malik knew she'd cool off in a few days. Then she took another breath. Setting the statue aside, she looked up at Sami and said, "Good luck on your next destination." Sami just nodded grimly, crossing her arms as she looked out the window. Right then, she'd need all the luck she was offered. The sun had peeked for just a while, as Bakura said, and then darkness came right back to the city. Amber wasn't so powerless, after all.

"Odion, what's wrong?" she heard Malik ask, and Sami turned again. Odion seemed to be trying to say something, something that was making him nervous, but no words came out. He was afraid to speak them. She looked up at him. She had never spoken to him once, but she knew fear when she saw it.

"Don't be afraid, sir," she said. He smiled weakly. Then he turned toward the television, and then to the sky. Sami followed his gaze.

"The news… stated that there is a massive storm moving in," he explained worriedly, and everyone, save for Sami and Rex, gasped in concern, "I'm… I'm only concerned for your health! It… it said…"

"That in every way, the storm's unnatural, right? Vicious winds that appear to be blowing in no true direction, massive storm clouds that couldn't be detected on normal radar?" Sami continued, and when Odion nodded, she turned to Kaiba and said, "Looks like magic decided to screw you over, jackass." Ryou hid a snort and heard Yami snicker at the sheer amusement in Sami's tone. Likewise, Malik seemed pretty close to bursting out in laughter, too. Kaiba's head just lowered, wishing that magic had been blown to Oblivion millennia ago. Which was funny; Oblivion was _the reason_ for magic.

"I hate you so much," he said flatly, as though that'd get a rise out of the older woman. It didn't. At least, not much of one. He could just hear her retort, even when she didn't speak.

"I think it's pretty damn ironic," Tristan added in. Kaiba just glared angrily at him, and Sami frowned slightly. Yes, it was ironic, but that didn't mean it was funny, despite her finding amusement in it. She seemed to have forgotten that part.

"So then I guess you'll be chuckling it up when we get swallowed by Leviathan," she said, just as flatly as Kaiba had been, "Knowing our luck, Amber would have been dumb enough to summon him." That shut Tristan up. He didn't know who Leviathan was, but he guessed it was another Esper. Or some form of monster. Its name was scary enough, at least. Sami walked slowly, purposefully to the window. The storm was getting worse with each passing second. For now, the sky was gray. But she saw the black horizon, in the direction she'd need to go. That alone was enough of a message to make her leave. She turned to the group at large and asked, "Does anyone have a good idea as to how to get across the sea?" Only one person was brave enough to speak.

"We could try and swim there," Shimbou suggested. That earned him glare upon glare from every other person, either in disbelief or in a want to hit him for that idea. If Odion said the storm was bad, then Ryou wanted to know just why Shimbou thought swimming, which would expose _all of them_, would be a good idea. Rex snorted, shaking his head in disbelief at the notion, innocent as it was.

"We'd be better off feeding ourselves directly to a shark," the would-be detective countered, looking out the window, "How about kayaking?"

"That'll be great once we topple over," Joey replied in boredom. Rex just sighed. At least he was _trying_, unlike Shimbou. Yami and Sami just exchanged nervous glances. This was technically their responsibility. And neither had a good idea as to fulfilling their job.

"Should I go scout the area?" he asked her quietly, "You know, recon style?"

"I'd be an idiot if I sent you out alone," Sami replied grimly, crossing her arms and leaning against the window, "If we're going to waste time on reconnaissance, there's no point in doing it at all. We might as well head out and jump off the cliff Amber's providing us with." Yami looked down. He didn't want them all to leave so soon, but Sami wasn't looking like she'd be giving them much choice on the matter. She even said she was leaving that night, herself. Yugi looked up at her with wide eyes.

"We head out?" he asked her, and when she nodded, he said, "From the sound of it, the world might end if we don't move." Sami didn't want to tell him how right he actually was. If Amber kept this up, their world would literally start falling apart. Aeon had said the world was on the brink of magical overload.

"Well…" Sami hesitated for a moment, realizing that technically, not many of them had rested since this even started. She frowned, "Actually, maybe a few hours won't hurt us." Everyone just became confused with this notion. She had stressed that time was important. But then they saw her point. Even if they went out right then, Amber would kill them if they were exhausted. Unfortunately, Rex wasn't sure he liked the idea of procrastination.

"You _just_ said we had to haul ass," he pointed out flatly, "Look, I know you're calling the shots, Winchester, but help us out a little! Are we going or aren't we? And if we aren't, can I at least call my boss and get some approval for this!?" Just as unfortunate, Sami didn't seem the least bit sympathetic to his whining. She didn't like having to stop, either, but she had to think about everyone else. Even her own body might fail her after the initial adrenaline rush wore off.

"I don't particularly care what you have to do," she replied seriously, "As much as I understand what's going on, I can't overlook the fact that we've neither eaten nor slept for days. Now I suggest you get your affairs in order before you start complaining to me. I don't like cowards and I certainly won't tolerate any on my team. Understood?" Rex just nodded stiffly. He understood when a sword was being aimed for his throat. And so did Ishizu. She stood up, realizing that if she didn't insist on them all retiring, fights would break out soon. Particularly between Kaiba, Rex, Sami, and Yami, all of whom were deemed the ones in charge of this situation. She clapped her hands once, gaining every set of eyes within the room.

"I believe a night of rest is in order," she said calmly, "You have the day to relax, but I insist we wait the night out." Sami, oddly enough, gave her silent approval.

The hours passed in slow, steady silence. Most of the house's occupants spent the entire day resting and preparing for the showdown off Domino's coast. Ishizu, Tea, and Katt merely spent the hours taking care of everyone else; as passive parts of the battle, there was little else they _could_ do. Joey and Tristan had been asleep for hours at that point, and Ryou himself spent the day watching the storm outside. Only when the very pale rays of daylight disappeared, did he come back down to the lower floors. Dinner had already been concluded, and most everyone retired to their rooms. Only Sami was about. And she was sitting within Ishizu's small study, looking over maps and old volumes of books in languages Ryou couldn't read. He tiptoed in quietly.

"Do you ever sleep?" he asked softly, knowing that somewhere, she did. She looked up from her book, and he said, "You've been through hell and back, Sami. You should sleep."

"True enough," she conceded, turning back to her studying, "But someone needs to plan this out, and I highly doubt your friends are up to the job. Half of them are asleep as we speak." Ryou frowned. That was also true enough, but Sami was still mortal. And all mortals needed to sleep unless they were insomniacs. Or in this case, willing to risk being murdered. And he didn't want Sami against those odds. He placed a hand on her shoulder.

"And as proud as I am of your dedication, Sami, the work shouldn't all be left to you," he replied calmly, "Let Yami try and do some of this. I'm sure he'll know what some of these languages are." Sami just laughed. She'd be very surprised if Yami understood either Esper or German, but she didn't put up the argument. Ryou was right, and she needed to sleep soon. She pushed the book off her lap and stood, stretching out. Her muscles were sore from hours of reading. And by the looks of the sky outside, it'd been many hours indeed. Hopefully she'd sleep well tonight.

"Perhaps he might," she agreed, and walked out with him, shutting the study light off, "Anyway, make sure you get sleep, too. I won't wake you when we leave." Ryou hadn't counted that she would. She hadn't done that since he had turned seventeen.

They walked up the stairs in silence after that, neither one having anything to say to the other. Sami seemed absorbed in whatever it was she had been planning, and likewise, Ryou never liked disturbing her. The hallway felt longer than normal in the night, and taking a single candle off one of the end tables decorating the hall, Sami handed it to Ryou as they stopped at one door; her room, most likely. She turned to him, her face looking gaunt in the pale candlelight. He took it with shaking hands.

"Get some sleep, Sami," he said quietly. Sami nodded, opening the door a crack. Already, Tea and Miho were sound asleep. Sami took just a look inside, smiled, and then turned to Ryou again.

"You as well," she replied. Ryou smiled. Then Sami walked inside and closed the door. Just like that, she had retired. Ryou's smile vanished. Somehow, it saddened him that she left without so much as a good-night. He just slumped, and then continued on toward his room.

"So much for an engagement," he sighed, glancing down at his pockets. The ring he wanted to give her was still in there, but now, he was beginning to have second thoughts. Not because he didn't care for her, but something else inside of him. Something that told him that some part of their relationship wasn't quite right. Was it because Sami was older? Perhaps far, far older? Ryou didn't know.

While Ryou was glad that the hall had been deserted in the hours of the evening, he heard noise coming from Malik's room as he continued down toward the end of the hall. He stopped abruptly, and noticed the door was still partly open. And he looked inside. Malik and Yugi were currently playing a board game, and Malik happened to actually be winning, something that was so rare, Yugi was having a hard time accepting it. But he did, and when he noticed Ryou watching them, he waved the older boy inside. Malik just grinned triumphantly. He had Monopoly in the palm of his hand. As well as over one thousand dollars, too.

"Hey, Ryou. All of the other guest rooms are full, so I thought you'd want to stay with Yugi and I," Malik stated cheerfully, almost proudly as Ryou walked in, "You know, boys night out? Except that we're not heading out or anything." Ryou just snorted. Malik would've had to be absolutely deranged to want to head out in the middle of the storm. He waved for his friends to continue their game, and he took a seat by the window, watching as rain began to drizzle down. The storm would most likely last the night. It suited how Ryou felt.

"Ryou, are you all right?" Yugi asked, when he found he couldn't focus on the game and that Ryou looked very grim in the dimness of the room. Ryou blinked, not expecting the question. Then he nodded, and turned to his two friends. He didn't mean to disrupt them.

"Just thinking that this might actually be the end if we fail," he replied easily, but it clearly weighed in his voice, "…look, I'm going to show you both something that not even Sami knows about. Promise you won't tell her." Malik and Yugi edged closer, and Ryou pulled out the ring. The band was made of gold, with an emerald set in the middle. In the dark, it caught the few rays of light beautifully. It was beyond anything Malik had ever seen, and he took it from Ryou's hands.

"You bought an engagement ring!" Malik breathed, making sure to keep his voice low enough so no one outside the room heard him, "Ryou, this must've cost you some serious money!" He turned the ring so it caught the few stray spots of light from the candles. The storm had already knocked the lights out hours ago. The inner gem looked magnificent; no human could've caught such a beauty. He looked over at Ryou again, "Are you going to propose?" Ryou looked away, and shivered.

"I… I don't know," he whispered, "I mean, I care about her. She's been my friend for years now… but something's wrong. Something inside feels wrong." Malik bit his lip. He had already proposed to Katt, though he didn't dare reveal that to Sami just yet. He had too many reasons to want to live. Still, he understood the hesitancy Ryou felt. He patted the younger boy's shoulder.

"It's just nerves, my friend," he assured, but like Ryou, something else said differently, "Look, why not talk to Sami about it and see how she feels about the idea? She might actually say yes!" Ryou seemed to consider that, but Yugi, for once, wasn't as cheerfully bright as usual. He frowned, looking at the ring for a moment.

"You might want to wait a while for that. Even with the time being reversed, she's still over twenty, isn't she?" Yugi reminded them, crushing Malik's suggestion to bits, "That's still illegal." Ryou just snorted softly, and Malik shook his head in disbelief. That was enough to warrant Sami saying 'no.'

After several more minutes of speaking on the subject or marriages, Ishizu finally entered the room and reminded them that Sami wouldn't be waking anyone up before the day tomorrow. Ryou understood that perfectly, and while Malik protested strongly, he and Yugi were fast asleep before long, with Ryou following them as soon as he put the ring on the nightstand. However, even as they slept, not all within the house remained undisturbed. Outside of Malik's window, just a mere flicker of shadow, sat the lone figure of one man. In the faintest light, his blonde hair was illuminated, whipping across his pale face in the wind as he watched Ryou sleep with his good eye. His mouth turned only slightly to a grin as he saw the ring.

"Marriage, eh?" the man said, nearly laughing, "We'll see, _Ryou Bakura_. We'll see how it plays out." Then, the man was gone into the night. Just like all movement within the sleeping house.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

After getting to Malik's house and finding out that they may be too late, Ryou's team decides to take some rest before heading out to face Amber directly. With directions to the island, finding it won't be hard. But can they survive against five overly powerful spells? And what is the blonde man planning, if he hasn't been captured yet? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!


	21. Ominous Things Cometh

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Takahashi does. He wants to know who the actual star of my stories is.

Hours later, the Ishtar residence was bursting with frantic activity as Odion had heard someone breaking into the house. Unfortunately, when everyone, save for Sami, had gotten there, the culprit was gone. And, from what Ryou could see, so was most of their weapons. The only thing that had been left was Ryou's sword, only because no one but himself could actually wield it. Odion and Malik had already begun to investigate by the time Ryou had gotten there, but it didn't take long for everyone to see that no windows had been broken, and that nothing had been stirred at all during the break-in. That worried Ryou; it meant that they either knew the thief, or the thief used magic to get inside, and Ryou didn't know which one scared him more.

"Who could've broken into the place? Don't we keep the doors locked?" Malik asked, as he came back from the outside, "And why would they just steal our weapons? Why not our money or one of our televisions?" Rex's lips thinned as he bent down to look over Ryou's sword. It appeared lifeless, as though it were an ordinary blade. Ryou noted that, for most of the time, he saw a thin strip of energy whirling around it. Rex went to pick it up, and at first, he was able to get a good grip on it. But then, it seemed to gain three times its weight, for Rex inevitably ended up dropping it, growling in frustration as he did so. It was clear why Ryou's weapon had been spared. It was heavy as all hell.

"Obviously, someone doesn't want _us_ to go to that island," Rex replied grimly, turning to Tea, "Is Sami up? She should probably take a look at this." Tea blinked, and then shook her head.

"No. She fell asleep right after she came in. She's exhausted herself," she replied, and turned to Ryou, "I'm not sure if she should be filled in, but…" She didn't finish her sentence, as Ryou dashed up the stairs toward the room Sami had been in. He threw the door open, and stopped when he saw Sami asleep on the bed. Quietly, he walked over as Tea ran up, obviously worrying he would simply wake her up. Ryou bent down as gently as he could; he could tell Tea was against waking Sami up for this, though why wasn't known to him.

"Sami, wake up," he whispered, gently tapping one of her ears, which lowered from the touch, "Sami, please, this is really important." Grumbling, yet still asleep, Sami's tail swatted at Ryou's hand, its heavy bulk hitting him full force. Angrily, he withdrew his hand and yelped with displeasure. Sami's eyes bolted open, and she sat up, looking around. Without her glasses, it took her minutes to realize Ryou was with her.

"Ryou? What's going on?" she asked, reaching around for her bandana, "Why're you in here?"

"Someone broke into the house," Ryou replied quickly, and Sami gasped, "They took all of our weaponry. The only thing they left was my sword." Sami's eyes widened fiercely, and she jumped out of bed, rushing downstairs. Glancing at Tea, who simply stared at Sami's speed, Ryou followed, with Tea deciding to stay close behind. Sami was already in the room, looking over their scant excuse for equipment now. Her sword was gone, as was the smaller knife she carried as a back-up; Rex's handgun was gone as well, and the baseball bat Joey had begun to implement was missing, despite its lack of combat use. She sighed. All that was left was, aside from Ryou's sword, a small potion she had made to use as a quick fire. That would never last them.

"Why would they leave Ryou's sword?" Katt asked, glancing at her sister.

"Because they can't touch it," Sami replied through gritted teeth, "Because it's of our magical design, and was made specifically for _Ryou_, I'm guessing only he can touch it. Who heard the person sneaking around?" She looked around at everyone gathered, and saw Odion raising a hand. "Did you hear anything else?" she asked.

"No. All I heard was the click of a gun. I thought… it might've been a hitman," Odion replied quietly. Sami and Ryou both froze. There was but one person who fit that description: the blonde man. But why on earth would he steal from _them?_ From _Sami_, whom he claimed to _love_? Sami looked down. The realization that he wasn't truly on her side hurt her. Ryou just patted her back. As much as he wanted to savor the victory of knowing he'd won their personal grudge, he hated seeing Sami so shaken about it.

"…then… we must go after him," she said, almost too quietly. Then she turned to Yami and asked, "What else do we have? Anything of yours we might be able to use?" Yami's eyes widened in shock. He didn't think he was the best person to go to at all; Bakura had much more spiritual weaponry than he ever would. Then he remembered that, like Sami, he was seen as one of the leaders of the troupe. He shook his head.

"Nothing that'd actually dispatch anything Amber would throw at us," he replied, and then asked, "What were you thinking, anyway? Only magic kills whatever she sends, right?" Sami just nodded grimly. That was more than likely the case. And unfortunately, all of _her_ weapons were gone. She was just as powerless as they, now. And while she trusted Ryou, his skill in a fight was more than questionable. As if reading her mind, Tea stated the same thought she was thinking.

"It all seems hopeless now," the younger woman said sadly. Sami's eyes narrowed. As much as she wanted to agree, she couldn't. There wasn't much use in giving up. She turned to Tea and shook her head.

"Don't say that," she said sternly, frowning, "It's not over yet. I have a few tricks still up my sleeves. Now, where's Bakura? He might be able to help us find something to use." She looked to Ishizu, who had originally thrown both Bakura and Ishtar out. Ishizu glanced around, and then shook her head to show that she had no idea where the old spirit could've gotten to. Sami bit her lip, unable to think of how far away Bakura could've been; it was nearly three in the morning. But when she heard a shrill laugh fill the air, she knew he wasn't far at all.

"_BOMBS AWAY, MORTALS!_" Bakura screamed, as a water bomb exploded against a window. Sami, Tea, and Ishizu ran to the dining room windows, opening one as Ishtar laughed maniacally, giving Bakura a high-five. Sami stuck her head out, feeling that if they threw another bomb, she might as well be the one to get hit. After all, she was the most likely to end up killing them before they threw anything more.

"What are you two doing!?" she demanded, and Bakura winced at the shrillness in her voice. He turned around, and grinned when he saw her. She, however, didn't return his enthusiasm.

"Well, we heard that someone took our stuff, so I figured you might want to see just what mine and Ishtar's truly brilliant minds concocted!" Bakura said proudly, pointing to a small pyramid of jiggling water balloons. Sami's eyes narrowed, either in amusement or annoyance, Tea couldn't be sure as she looked on. Personally, she felt the whole idea of using water balloons to be useless, and when she looked over and saw Sami's expression, it was clear Sami didn't take Bakura seriously in the least.

"Water balloons? You honestly think we can use _water balloons_?" Sami asked, with a slight tone of amusement, "Bakura, I applaud your activity, but unless we're fighting a machine, or a ball of fire, those won't do anything at all." Just to prove her point, Sami grabbed a kitchen knife off of the table and toss it toward the pyramid with barely an effort. It hit one balloon, which exploded. The resulting damage set off each and every balloon after it, and soon, cascades of water slammed down on the two unhappy spirits as their screams of rage filled the air.

"Why the hell did you do that!?" Bakura screamed, pointing an accusing finger at Sami, "What are we going to fight with!?"

"It took us nearly two hours to make all of those, too!" Ishtar whined, "I want those hours back, you little wretch!" Sami simply raised an eyebrow, having no intention of letting them continue their slander toward her. After all, she already knew their idiotic idea would've failed; if a regular sword was going to be ineffective, she felt they should know regular water was just that: regular, unimpressive _water_.

"If you both are going to act like children, then I should think about whipping you for what you're saying to me," she said sternly when Bakura took to calling her a bitch for popping his ingenious plan, "_Stop your slander this instant!_" At the threat of a whip, which both spirits knew Sami would back up, they silenced themselves. She glared at them, and then said, "If you're so bent on destruction, why not summon those birds of yours again? They took down a monster, didn't they?" Unfortunately, Sami chose the worst time to bring up any form of bird. Bakura's eye twitched, and then he looked into the night sky. Ryou's fears of the inevitable were proved when the old spirit screamed in utter outrage.

"_I WILL NEVER ALLY MYSELF WITH THOSE MOCKERS AGAIN!_" he roared angrily, and when he saw Sami's look worsen, he defensively cried, "They mocked us! They took a crap on my shoe when I was filling the balloons! One of them even pecked at a bomb until it burst!"

"That was funny, though. The bird died in the explosion," Ishtar reminded him, hoping to help alleviate the problem. But the glare Bakura gave said he wasn't in the mood for forgiveness, no matter how comical the damned creatures had been. They _mocked_ him, in his mind. And that was as bad as Yami mocking him.

"I want those sacks of shit eliminated from _time itself!_" the old thief declared. This time, Sami had had it with him. She leapt out the window, landing silently behind him, and smacked him right over the head. He fell over, mumbling obscene comments to her all the while. To which, she ignored.

"If you'll so kindly regain just a bit of sanity, I'd like to get back to our problem," the woman growled, "We have no weapons. We're going to war. You know much more about where to find weapons than I would, and about how to dispatch shadows. Are you going to help, or are you going to die?" Bakura wanted to scream at her, but he understood that even without her sword, she'd still find a way to murder him. He stood up and looked around. Aside from his idea of water, and Ryou's sword, there was little that would do much good. All forms of darker demons were resistant to every human weapon, save for the purest of silver. He stressed that clearly, in the form of another rant.

"Sami, what can we possibly find here, in the _middle of NOWHERE_!?" Bakura asked, his voice rising again, "There's nothing but rocks at this point!" Sami raised another amused eyebrow, and pointed to a flock of birds flying away from Bakura's shrill rants of insanity at them. He followed her gaze and glared at each feathered creature, his fury rising. That was _not_ the kind of weapon he had in mind.

"I'm quite sure that, if they're terrified enough, they'll take a… crap on the enemies for us as well," Sami said, smirking with sarcasm. Bakura's eye twitched as he glared back at her. That was _definitely_ not the time to be mocking him! If he could've hit her, he would've. But she was already walking back toward the house. Bakura just knelt, scrabbling for something in the dirt. Ishtar just looked down at him flatly.

"Bakura, what're you looking for?" the younger spirit asked him blankly. Bakura's eye twitched again. Obviously, he couldn't find whatever it was he happened to be looking for.

"Sharp… pointy… sticks… _WHY THE HELL CAN I NEVER FIND ANY!?_" Bakura screamed, as the front door opened. Sami stepped out again, with Ryou and everyone else behind her. They formed a small circle in front of the house, which Bakura and Ishtar reluctantly joined, without the company of a pointy stick. Sami looked at everyone assembled, knowing that another regrouping was in order and she was expected to be the one to decide who went and what was to be done. She sighed tiredly, her lips thinning as she thought of her words carefully. This wasn't a decision to be made lightly. She was literally deciding who would live, and who might be dying that night.

"It goes without saying that I won't be tolerating fear here tonight," she began grimly, pacing up and down the assembled lines, "Fear's acceptable, even expected, but we can't have it clouding our judgment. Therefore, I want only those who are truly prepared to die. I can't guarantee how successful we are, and as much as it pains me to say, I won't make that decision for you, though I know exactly who I'd like beside me and why. So, make the choice. I'm giving you ten minutes." That didn't seem like nearly enough time, but Ryou understood the need to rush. The more time they spent, the more the world swept toward destruction. So, when ten minutes finally came to pass, Sami wasn't the least bit surprised to see that only a few people were coming with her. Those few being Ryou, Malik, Yugi, Joey, Shimbou, and Rex. Not the best team, but certainly better than no one at all, Sami had to admit. She simply nodded, giving neither encouragement nor admonishment for their choice. Then, she turned to Katt.

"We'll see what we can do here," Katt said quietly, "If you fail, I'll take over." Hearing Katt say it so worriedly caused Ryou a great deal of turmoil. She sounded almost certain that her sister wouldn't be coming back. Sami didn't agree, however. The look in her eyes said that clearly as she clapped Katt's shoulder in a firm grip.

"We'll prevail," she said, her grim tone merely growing despite that proclamation. Then, she noticed her phone was ringing. She took it out of her pocket, and turned it on, asking, "Yes?"

"Sami, is that you?" To both her surprise and annoyance, it was Yaten Bakura, "Listen, I want Ryou _home_. I see what's going on outdoors, and I don't want my son catching pneumonia. As the housekeeper, you're supposed to be watching him, so bring him back!" Sami just raised a brow. That was going to be a problem; Ryou already decided he'd be fighting alongside her. Then she took a breath. She'd have to lie. Her only fear was that Yaten wouldn't believe her.

"Sorry, sir, but I lost track of him," she said, and Ryou's eyes widened, "I'll find him, but the city's huge and most of the power's out." At least she wasn't lying _completely_. The power was blown practically throughout the city, and the city was very large indeed. Yaten went very silent for a moment, knowing that it was unlike Ryou to just run off. Especially if he was with Sami.

"Think he bought it?" Ishtar whispered, but Sami shook her hand to quiet him. Finally, Yaten spoke again.

"You're supposed to be watching him," Yaten told her very firmly, so much that Sami had a hard time believing it was actually him, "I pay you to keep my son safe, and you lose him after all of this? Sami, find him now or I'm going to call the cops to find him." Sami just paled immediately. Everyone knew that if the police became involved, she'd be found and possibly taken in for being unregistered by the ESB. Ryou motioned for her to give him the phone, which she did. This was the last shot, or he'd have to go home. There was no arguing with Yaten.

"Dad, it's okay. I'm here," Ryou replied, and that seemed to calm the older man down considerably, "It wasn't her fault, I ran off to make sure Yugi and Malik were okay. Don't get mad at her."

"Son? Come home, now. Do you have any idea what the news is saying? We're expecting a tsunami. In _Domino_!" Yaten told him in alarm. Ryou sighed. He couldn't do that just yet. As much as it pained him, he'd have to do the one thing he never wanted to do: defy his father.

"Sorry, dad," he said sadly, "I'll see you at home." Then he clicked off the phone. For a moment, he stood there, looking at the cell phone. Why was he going off like this? He certainly wasn't a fan of magic, and they did have Sami there. But this was his world, not hers. If she were dead, he wouldn't even have a choice; he was the only one holding the Zerrkandr. Sami just patted his back. She understood this even more than he had. That was why she'd given them that choice.

"We'll prevail," she said again, this time with more determination. She looked to her sister again, "If he calls you, you understand what to do, right?" Katt nodded.

"Tell him you both died. Understood," Katt replied, and when Ryou stared at them both, she said, "Ryou, it's so that he doesn't try to look for you later. If he figures you and Sami are still out here, he's going to go insane and come looking. If he thinks you're dead, he'll have to wait for the storm to pass before coming out here." Ryou didn't particularly like what the two sisters had planned out, but it did prove to be the only way to really keep Yaten from looking for him.

"Let's go so that it doesn't come to that," Sami said sternly. Taking the few members she had, she left Malik's yard, going through the groves toward the east, where the bay sat.

Though the path was clear, Sami still led her team cautiously, occasionally stopping to look at where they were heading. The night sky was still dark, and it didn't appear that there'd be sunlight any time soon. That wouldn't make the going any easier; she didn't want to use magic in case it alerted Amber in any way, but there was no other way to get light. In the end, they were forced to pick their way through the dark. Sami's eyesight proved invaluable, for it was much crisper, despite being blurred from her lack of eyewear. She relied on a low-powered ability to pick out where the obstacles were placed.

"So, if we have no weapons, what do we do if we run into another monster?" Shimbou asked, as they climbed down a natural 'staircase' of large, winding tree roots. Sami stopped, realizing that she hadn't actually come up with a solution. Magic would've been unavoidable if that were the case, then. She looked down. If only she had her sword…

"Then we either run away or fight bare-fisted," she replied after a moment of hesitation, "I'm not so sure I can use magic without causing Amber to find us, and I certainly don't want to risk it." Bakura raised a brow, appearing next to Ryou.

"You think she'd actually be able to trace where the spell came from?" he asked her. She nodded grimly. That wouldn't be hard at all, especially if she found a way to force Aeon to do it for her. That was, after all, how he'd found Sami in Winbourne.

"Even a half-breed should be able to," she told him, stepping off the roots onto the forest floor, "I'm more worried she'll act out of fear and start unleashing the forbidden spells before actually understanding what's what. She knows we're coming. That's why she took Aeon, no doubt. She knows I'd come looking if she evened the score a little."

"Man, that's low!" Joey exclaimed, brows creasing. Sami just chuckled. It was, but that was how Amber worked. She wasn't gifted with tactical genius. She'd use whatever shot she could if it meant bringing Sami down.

"It's not surprising," she replied easily, "You might find this a little cold, but this is a game to Amber. It's like playing a very dangerous form of chess. And right now, she's capturing or destroying my pawns." Ryou couldn't help but laugh. That was a roughly accurate analogy. But the thought that someone like Amber was doing this for fun was scary. She was causing some severe devastation. If she were half as serious as Rath, Ryou might not even have a world to walk on. He felt both worried and thankful Amber wasn't any brighter.

"But why you?" Malik asked, as they headed down a gentle slope, the sea opening up in the far distance. Sami stopped again. That was a good question. There were other Espers Amber could've played against. Why _did_ she pick Sami?

"My guess is because of her mother," the woman said, though she knew there had to be more to it, "Katsaiga died to help us, and in the end, she said it was for me. That had to make Amber angry, perhaps even jealous. But… I can't be sure. I wouldn't know why it'd have been for me." No one else had the answer, either. It was just another reminder that Sami had no idea who she was. She started out again, though the others followed at a slower pace. Malik had posed a good question, and now they began wondering what this was even about. They hadn't gotten any answers in Winbourne.

"It can't really be about Sami, can it?" Yugi asked quietly, as the trees around them began to thin, "Ryou… did she say anything about why she had been shot? Did she tell you anything?" Ryou shook his head, unable to recall anything of importance. Sami basically said the same thing she said now: that this was a game to whomever shot her. Maybe that was reason enough. Because it really was just a game.

"Not much. She didn't understand why she was shot, but I think now it was just to warn her," Ryou replied, "I don't know what kind of game she'd think this is, though. Chess is about skill and control. Amber hasn't really shown it very well, even though she's come close to offing Sami a few times already. This seems more like hide and seek, because every time Sami finds a hint of the girl, she just runs away."

"Could she be leading us somewhere?" Malik suggested, and both Ryou and Yugi turned to him, "Think about it. Maybe sending you guys to the wrong world wasn't so wrong at all. Maybe she wants you to learn certain things, or come to a conclusion that isn't right." Ryou considered this. Winbourne did distract them enough for her to recover, and for her to find both Aeon and the blonde man in one shot. Bakura, however, wasn't so sure Malik was going the right way with this. He shook his head.

"If she wanted that, she wouldn't have shown up period," Bakura argued gruffly, crossing his arms as they walked, "Something tells me she's simply psychotic. I can't even begin to understand what she actually wants to do. If she has the orbs, we shouldn't even be alive. The fact that we are means she's not doing something."

"Maybe she can't use them," Joey put in, "Sami said they were really old, and Amber can't be that old, can she? Maybe she hasn't figured out how to unleash them!" Unfortunately, Ryou felt Joey was being just a bit too optimistic about that conclusion. Even if that were the case, that meant she'd probably harm Aeon and the blonde man to get her answers. And as much as both annoyed Ryou, he knew it'd cause Sami a lot of pain if they ended up dead.

"She's waiting for Sami," Ryou reasoned after a moment of uncomfortable silence, "If this is a chess game… she made her move by capturing Aeon. Now it's Sami's turn." The others just stared at him. That was a cryptic clue, something Yami might've said, had he been there. But Ryou wasn't as smug as Yami. He didn't want to be right, in this case. It definitely seemed like Sami was headed to a checkmate. Joey just laughed then, causing even more shock to them all. The situation was grim. Why was he just laughing?

"I'm sorry, I thought you actually compared our _lives_ to a _chess game_," Joey said to Ryou. Ryou just blinked flatly. That was, unfortunately, what they'd been doing for the past while. Maybe letting Joey join them wasn't such a good idea.

By the time they'd reached the highway, overlooking the beach Kaiba had indicated, the sun was battling futilely against the storm to resume its natural course. Nature had a tendency to lose to magic, however. And the scene greeting them, over the railing, proved that. The waves crashed violently, becoming much louder on the deserted road than Ryou thought was ever possible. Lightning cracked across the sky to the distance, and barely, they made out the island Kaiba pointed to. It looked terribly ominous against the darkness.

But the true concern wasn't in the island. Getting there would prove a worse problem. Ryou looked down to find a sign of bridge or boat, but what he found instead was almost crushing. The seawater from the storm had risen several feet, and whatever land bridges that had been there before, were gone. The entire beach was only a crescent of what it had once been. Ryou tugged Sami's sleeve, and she took note of it, too.

"The… the beach is _gone_!?" Rex asked, unable to actually believe he was looking at what had once been their beloved beach. Now it was just a swirling abyss of dark water. Sami just frowned. Even though the rain from the storm had been the actual cause, magic was what caused the storm in the first place. Amber was stalling. Next to her, she saw Malik shake his head in utter bewilderment.

"Okay, I can understand monsters. I kind of understand the other worlds thing. But this?" Malik began, eyes widening, "She's actually changing the entire face of the world! How much power does she _have_?" Sami didn't want to answer. Her reply might actually scare them all shitless, if they weren't smart enough to be that way already. Instead, she continued looking to the scant outline far out in the sea. It was barely visible, but she could see it. Her eyes narrowed.

"She's out there," she growled, and everyone turned to her, "She's waiting… mocking us, almost." Without bothering to wait, Sami jumped the railing, splashing into the water below. Thinking she was brave, but damned crazy as well, everyone followed, regretting it immediately. The water was freezing, the air only adding to the cold. Only _Sami_ would find this a suitable method of traveling. Only Sami would be crazy enough to want to die.

"A-anyone see the d-damn i-island?" Malik asked, teeth chattering. Ryou just patted his back as Rex sloshed forward, stomping hard to avoid his feet being sucked by the muck below. Lightning arced across the sky again, and he sat the flat disk in the distance. He grinned almost madly and pointed.

"There!" he exclaimed. Ryou frowned. It was far indeed, but he saw the dome half-built upon it. The water still had some ways to go before it was leveled with the land, too. That was good to know. None of them wanted to be swimming all the way to their death. Not that it'd make much difference. The cold was sucking at their life force like the mud was dragging their shoes in.

"Is there any way we can cross?" Sami asked Rex, unable to see as the darkness settled in again. Unfortunately, Rex hadn't seen any passage. But luckily, Shimbou had. He tapped the woman's arm and led her gaze to where he was pointing. Barely, just barely, she saw a ramp leading down a soft decline from the highway, all the way toward the island. Very convenient, and somewhat suspicious. Sami half wondered why she had never seen it before.

"Think that's a good way to get there?" Shimbou asked, half in amusement, half sarcastic. He knew there wasn't another way unless they wanted to die a cold death. Sami just shook her head, turning back to try and find some way back up to the road. She regretted just jumping. But there was a ladder, right underneath the bridge. They rushed, careful not to be dragged down too deep from the current, and one by one they fled the water to the safety of the road. When at last Sami came up, wishing to stay behind to ensure the others' safety, she turned to the bridge. Barely, she could see pulsating lights periodically placed to provide some measure of light to the wayward traveler. She nodded grimly, pointing forward.

"Onward, friends," she said calmly, "Let's see just how this game will end." Ryou wasn't nearly as enthusiastic as their inhuman friend, but no one objected. The faster they did move, the quicker Domino would be safe. Nay, the entire world would be able to breathe easier. That was worth the danger.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

After having been stolen from, Ryou and Sami marshal a small troupe to head out and stop Amber's madness before Domino is swallowed by magic. With Kaiba's directions to guide them, they're at the final stage of the encounter. What will be their next move, and will Sami lock herself in a checkmate? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!


	22. To Flamenco's AND BEYOND!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Takahashi does, and he wants to know if Ryou ends up swimming to the dome.

The bridge seemed to stretch on for eternity as they started across it. The violent crash of the waves, and the rustling of the wind made them feel as though the bridge would give out any second, plunging them all into the sea. And for Sami, who hadn't even noticed it until Shimbou pointed to it, she was actually expecting it to do so. For who knew why Amber would allow such easy access? It seemed a silly move to her, but the feeling of being lured was only stronger for Ryou, who remained faithfully by her side as they walked.

Then he realized something wasn't right with what they were doing. Even if they did find Amber, Sami hadn't said a thing on what they'd do once she appeared. She had made a vague mention of 'not wanting it to end' in the way of death. And as they neared the island, Ryou became acutely aware that the thought was continuing to nag at him. It hadn't been an idle comment. Sami _knew_ how this would come out. Ryou stopped suddenly, grabbing the older woman's arm. At first, she jerked back, worried that perhaps she was stepping off a cliff. Then she realized that wasn't the case. She looked at Ryou quizzically as lightning arced across the sky, illuminating his worried visage.

"Yes?" she asked calmly. Ryou swallowed hard. There wasn't an easy way to ask this.

"Sami, what did you mean when you said 'you didn't want it to end this way?" Ryou asked her seriously, "What way?" Sami blinked, knowing exactly what he was referring to. She frowned. She had thought she'd been just vague enough for him to understand her meaning. She obviously thought wrong.

"Unleashing the spells," was all she said, and it was grimly placed at that. Ryou wondered what that could've meant. He thought the spells were already unleashed, since Amber had used one in Winbourne. But when he asked Sami this, she shook her head. Something clearly wasn't sitting right.

"What'll _that_ do?" Rex asked, raising a perplexed brow, "Wouldn't that actually kill all of us?" Sami shook her head again, and took a deep breath. This was an explanation she wouldn't readily give. But she knew that if she didn't, they would wonder just why she'd end up dead from it. Or what purpose it'd have even served. She hated playing by Espers rules.

"By unleashing the spells, Amber won't absorb them. She won't be able to," she replied darkly, "What that'll do is make them _conditional spells_, like most Esper magic, where you need to have certain strengths in order to use them. In their orbs, anyone could cast them. That's why Amber did so." That made more sense to Ryou. He had wondered how Amber was able to use such overwhelming spells if she was only half-Mystic. But as Sami continued, her voice grew ever more grim, "However, doing so breaks one of the biggest laws of the ESB. I could… no, I _would_ be killed for it." Ryou's eyes widened. Killed! Sami would be killed for _saving their world_! He shook his head violently.

"No!" he exclaimed angrily, "Absolutely not! You're not unleashing them!" Sami turned to him slowly. Even in the dark, he saw the glow of her eyes. At that moment, she judged him. By the look on her face, she didn't like what she saw.

"And what if that's the only way to stop her?" she asked him, gently at first, "Are you going to stop me? Are _you_ going to stop an _Esper_? From saving the world? Ryou… how can you be that selfish?" Ryou stepped back. That was quite a blow, a stinging one. Him, selfish? For _not wanting her to die_!? His brows creased. How could she dare to say that when she'd kept that fact from him!

"How can I let you die!? Sami, you're my friend!" he cried, throwing his arms up, "You've been here since day one. How can I think it's fair that they'd kill you! They might as well blow the world up themselves!" What he failed to notice at all about Sami's statement was the word _Esper_. As he stopped, he realized that she'd said it. She didn't refer to Bahamut, or Fenrir, or anyone she used to mention. She called _herself_ one.

"You understand _nothing_," she hissed, and then turned, "Ryou, you can't stop me from this. And if you try, I'll kill you." Ryou's expression faded. He didn't doubt she would, but he wasn't going to stop her. Something told him what she said had more meaning than she knew.

"You called yourself an Esper," he told her quietly, so much so that she looked back at him, "Sami… are you an Esper?" Sami frowned again. She hadn't remembered saying that, but Ryou wasn't lying. His voice alone said he had heard and couldn't believe it himself. Everyone looked from Ryou, to Sami.

"I…" Sami hesitated, not know just what to say to that, "I am not."

"You said you were," Ryou said gently, walking toward her, "Sami… you are, aren't you? Or, you were. That's why it's _you_ she's after. Because you _are_ one. That's… that's why Rath's after you, isn't it?" Sami shivered. She hadn't known where the word even came from, but it had suddenly just left her mouth. Ryou placed both hands on her shoulders, finding the woman shaking under his grasp. In barely a whisper, he said, "You remembered, didn't you?"

"Esper…" she whispered back, "Ryou… I am. Damn it, it's beginning to… come back, but only that fact." That was still important to know. He patted her back as she said, "I'm sorry. Ryou, you need to understand that no matter what I am, laws are laws. I can't break them without repercussion… and that particular law can constitute death." Ryou still didn't like that, but he knew it wasn't her fault. He just nodded, taking a deep breath as he let go of her. As much as he didn't want her dead, if worse came to worse, he'd have to let her go.

"I don't like it," he said at length, "But I understand it. If you have to, then do it." Her smile went sly again.

"Let's hope I don't have to, then," she replied. And with that, she led them on.

With the highway far behind them, the island looming closer with every step, they were able to now see the beginnings of the dome. When lightning graced them, illuminating the structure for just a second, it depicted a scene that felt like quite the opposite of what Kaiba was trying to do: the dome looked _absolutely destroyed_. Half of the wall that had been built had crumbled away, taking most of the unfinished roof with it. Long shadows stretched on as a result, their slits revealing what looked like a stone court within the center. Or the beginnings of an arena. They walked on silently, some looking forward, others looking toward the ocean.

When they reached the middle, Sami stopped them. Amidst the final clue, she felt an overwhelming amount of darkness swirling around, especially within the center of the court. She looked around carefully, but no one else was there, save for her friends. But she knew too well that _something_ was around them. They just couldn't _see_ it. And if there was one thing she'd learned, it was that just because they couldn't see, didn't mean nothing existed. She shivered. There was a part of her that wanted to flee right then. But without proof of any form of danger, she knew there'd be no convincing Rex of it. And she wouldn't leave him behind, no matter how much the two disliked each other.

"Now what?" Rex asked, walking over to her, "Place is a wreck, Winchester. Think there's anything actually here?"

"Something's definitely here, but I'm not sure what," Sami replied, her voice becoming almost questioning. Unfortunately, the place seemed deadly quiet. The only sound they did hear, other than the waves below, was their own breathing. In the night, it sounded ragged in each of their ears. At first, Rex didn't believe her. But when they heard a gunshot, as well as a scream of utter horror, Rex realized Sami _had_ been right. He almost cursed as he rushed to where the scream came from. He was a cop, after all, and he definitely knew what a fired gun sounded like. Sami, Ryou, and Malik rushed after him, with the other three watching in horrified confusion.

"Please! Let me live! I'll continue working!" came the high-pitched scream again. This time, Sami stopped. She knew that voice, but it seemed to almost be coming from another direction. It took her a moment to realize that it was _behind_ the one wall that managed to stand. Calling for Rex, the two of them ran over. And she saw, to her horror, that the man screaming was her old boss, Pierre. And his attacker was none other than the blonde man, with Aeon beside him. Sami's skin turned white, especially when the blonde man looked over. He smiled, but in the shadow of his hair, it looked more sinister than happy.

"Sith! I was wondering when you'd come find us," he said smoothly, lowering his gun, "Guess what, babe? I've got a load of information that you're going to love." All Sami could do was blink dumbly. She barely processed what the man said before he turned to Pierre and said in a much harsher voice, "Tell her what you just told us, or I'll shoot your head off!"

"Yes! Of course!" Pierre whimpered, to which Sami forced the man to lower his gun, "Oh, mademoiselle Sami, I am so sorry! I did not know this would happen! If I had, surely I'd have never fired you! But, by ze time I realized it, she had threatened me! I could not let her get to you, so I followed her here! But alas, she has gone…" Sami's face softened at his tone and his dedication. So he wasn't so much a coward, after all. But the blonde man wasn't nearly as convinced. He shoved the gun right back up toward Pierre's neck.

"If she threatened you, why didn't you fire her?" he demanded, "How do we even believe you?"

"Please! Please, I am telling ze truth!" Pierre begged, kneeling in terror, "I knew nothing! Nothing of it! I came to stop her before the mademoiselle was forced here!" Unfortunately, Pierre was a bit too late for that. Sami knelt beside him, placing a hand on the wiry man's back. He was shivering. For once, Sami couldn't blame him for being so terrified. He really didn't know anything about magic, but here he was fighting for his life because of it. She could only smile.

"She expected both of us to come here," she replied calmly, "Pierre, don't worry. We're going to kill her for what she's done. Is she the one who set Flamenco's on fire?" Pierre burst out into a sob at the recollection of the night. He had been there himself, watching the flames as his beloved dream was burnt to cinders. He had begged Amber himself not to destroy it. And he had seen why she did it. To destroy the evidence that she planted there, under his nose and under the guise of a worker. He felt a mixture of hatred and fear. He nodded.

"Yes. Ze fire… oh, ze fire burned for hours, mademoiselle," he whispered, eyes puffy from his sob, "I watched it all. I saw what she hid there, mademoiselle! Objects of the worst evil, right in my restaurant! Oh, to zink I was stupid enough to fire _you!_" Sami just snorted. Even if he hadn't fired her, she'd have probably quit anyway. Or killed Amber right then. She wasn't sure which one would work first. Carefully, she helped the man to his feet. He wobbled a bit.

"It was probably better that you did," she replied, and then said much more grimly, "We need to know how long we have. Pierre, did you happen to see anything while you were here?" Pierre bit his lip. He had, but none of it was Amber. She had already flown off by the time he staked the place out. What he had seen instead was the blonde man, coming to break Aeon out. And he'd seen a gun shoved in his face when he was discovered. He pointed to the blonde man.

"He came late last night to drop something off," Pierre began, and Sami turned furiously to the blonde man, "Weapons, I believe. But zen I heard him break something open. I saw nothing until zey found me." That was all Sami needed to hear right then. The blonde man backed away, realizing now that keeping Pierre alive meant he might be dead now. Sami's hand went to her sword, but Rex was quicker. He blocked her, taking out a pair of cuffs in case she tried to fight him off. Even if it was in passion, murder was still illegal.

"Winchester, just give me a damn minute!" he exclaimed, as Malik came to help restrain Sami. They finally managed to get her sword separated from her, and turning to the blonde man, Rex asked, "Where did you hide our stuff, jackass?"

"Third room," the blonde man replied, eying Sami nervously. He knew the look she gave him, and knew that if he had lied, she'd have definitely murdered him. Rex told Malik to keep Sami steady, and he went over to check the room out himself. It was locked. Beckoning to Joey, he backed up, calculating how far back he'd have to go in order to successfully break the door down. He stopped after sixty feet, and with Joey, ran straight ahead for the door. Screaming, they broke it down in one try.

When the dust finally cleared, and Malik deemed it safe to let Sami go, she walked over and produced a small fire in her hand to light the room up. It was unbelievably tiny; there was just barely room for two people to stand, albeit uncomfortably. But their equipment had been stashed there, as per the blonde man's answer. She dragged everything out, surprised to see that most of it was handled with the most delicate of care. She tossed Rex his gun, and gave Malik the Millennium Rod, both of whom seemed happy to have their things back. She threw a baseball bat to Joey, and handed Yugi what looked like a training sword. She split up Bakura's knives among them evenly, though she gave Shimbou two to make up for his lack of weapons. Then, she found one she hadn't recognized. It was a small, black pistol. She froze. _Her_ pistol had been broken, and she hadn't yet gotten it repaired. She glanced at the blonde man. He just smiled, nodding.

"Now we're ready," she said, putting the pistol in its holster, "Next is, we need to know where Amber is. She's not here." Unfortunately, most of them had no idea how to proceed with that. Amber could've been anywhere, but to their luck, Pierre had a nice suggestion again. The man wasn't totally useless.

"My guess is Flamenco's," he stated, and when they all turned, he crossed his arms, "Ze place was burnt, but ze basements are most probably still in tact. If she was hiding anything, it would be down zere." Sami just smiled. That was probably the most logical place to start looking. She was doubly glad the blonde man hadn't shot him yet. However, she was the only one to understand the answer, for she was the only one to have seen Flamenco's layout.

"If the place was destroyed, why would the basements be safe?" Bakura asked him critically, raising a confused brow. Sami looked from Pierre, to Bakura.

"The basements are underneath ground level, and there's all forms of heat insulation down there," she replied. But what she couldn't explain was what had been down there. For this, she referred to Pierre again. He stated, "All I had heard was the rumblings of a machine. Zat was all, mademoiselle." That was still more than enough. Ryou looked at Sami quizzically, though. Why would Amber be using a machine? What purpose would it have solved?

"A machine? For what?" he asked, and then his voice dropped, "To hold the orbs." Sami nodded grimly, crossing her arms as she looked back toward the bridge. She had already figured that out as soon as Pierre mentioned the basements. It was no wonder Amber wanted her out; it was _her_ job to clean the basement every week.

"To amplify the power the orbs have," she corrected, "She plans to absorb them. Pierre, are you certain it's a machine, and not one of the washers?"

"We keep ze washers in ze kitchen, like before, mademoiselle," Pierre informed her. That only deepened her theory. She turned to the rest of her friends, all of whom began to look just as worried as she had. They knew what this meant: they'd be heading right to the battlefield.

"Glad to see you all understand what this means," she said with a chuckle, "We're going to drop Pierre off so that Katt can heal him. Then we'll go and find Amber. Aeon, did she…" Sami stopped when she realized that she no longer felt Aeon's presence. She turned, and to her horror, saw that neither Aeon nor the blonde man were there any longer. "A-Aeon!? _AEON!_" She rushed toward the water, staring out toward the horizon. It hadn't even been five minutes, and no one saw either of them crossing the bridge. "_AEON!!_" Where could they have been?

"They're gone," Malik told her. And she couldn't argue. There was no sign of them.

She had no choice but to give up looking for her comrades as she led her team across the bridge again. Sami just couldn't believe that Aeon and the blonde man would leave, just like that. She needed their help. She needed _them_. But they were gone again. And all Ryou could do was watch as Sami, though calm and determined on the outside, looked around, trying to find some clue as to where her friends were. There were no signs. As they made it back onto the highway, Shimbou also noticed that she was searching around as well, though unlike Ryou, he had no idea why. Then he heard rustling from the forests ahead of them, and he wondered if that was what she was looking at. He squinted, and faintly saw three figures running among the trees.

"Who the hell are _they_?" Shimbou asked quietly, and everyone turned to see what he found. Indeed, the figures were there again, this time closer as they came just to the edge of the forest. Where they were going, no one knew. But Sami had the feeling that whatever it was, it was a cause for great concern. No one with a sane mind was out right then.

"They look vaguely familiar," Ryou commented, as Sami raised a humored brow. She didn't recognize them. Then again, her vision was blurry, too. But she did see that one of them managed to fall over, the other two struggling to help him up.

"Come, my brothers! I sense a great feat!" one of them said, "We must hurry now, or we're surely dead meat!" Both Sami and Ryou frowned, recognizing the rhyming patterns instantly. They'd met them only instantly, only for a few seconds, but it was more than enough to spark the memory. Those were the same bards that had witnessed Sami's shooting, the only witnesses aside from Ryou himself. And by the look on Yugi's face, he also recognized them, but from where, neither Ryou nor Sami knew. Just then, however, the bards were standing triumphantly, all of them having recovered from the fall.

"Stand ho, great evil! As we are the Bards Three!" they all said in unison, "Beware of Derek, Eric, and Jimmy D.!" Sami just growled, shaking her head. Now they _all_ began to understand just who those three were. Bakura just snickered, unable to believe that three idiots like them were able to get so far without being killed. Malik just wished they'd fall to the ocean below. And Sami just wanted to shoot them. But Rex was right there, and she knew he'd arrest her if she tried. She just gave a loud sigh.

"Do you think they can actually do _anything_?" Rex asked her, noticing her discomfort. Her mouth was thin, and her eyes were narrowed flatly. She shook her head, though Rex already saw that indeed, she doubted they'd even live let alone help her in any way.

"They might be able to kill Amber with their singing," she said sarcastically, "Or we might be able to use them as a shield for a while." All Rex could do was snort.

When they crossed the road and reentered the forest, Ryou and Malik went ahead to try and find the three bards, to stop them before they did anything that'd cost Sami some time. But there was no sign of them anymore. They had left immediately after their 'heroic' proclamations, and while Sami didn't want to go looking for them, she did admit freely that they worried her. If they somehow made it to Flamenco's before she did, there was a chance they'd only alert Amber instead of actually stopping her. And Ryou agreed with her on that. But now they had no choice but to accept that, for idiots, the three bards had slipped away brilliantly.

"Where'd they go?" Yugi asked, looking around as they passed under a tree. No one answered him, for no one had an answer to give. With the sky still so dark, and the wind rustling the leaves, the bards could've been anywhere. When Pierre shrieked in terror, Sami spun immediately, sword in hand, thinking the bards had actually ambushed them. Then she saw what scared him. She bent down.

"…branch," she mumbled, crunching it under her boot. Ryou's lips pursed. She was getting thoroughly annoyed now. He led Pierre on as Sami took the front with Rex and Joey, Bakura just a ways behind them all in case something attacked at the rear. But nothing appeared to be in this forest at all. And, as though it were just a sheer stroke of luck, it took only minutes for Malik's house to appear, the windows unusually bright in the darkness of the forest. Malik frowned. All of the lights were on. He rushed up to the porch and knocked on the door.

"Katt, it's me, Malik! Open the door," he called. There was a murmur of confusion, but then Katt opened the door, looking out with a mixture of worry and bewilderment. By her calculations, they shouldn't have been back so soon.

"Is everything okay?" she asked him, noticing Sami was with him, coming onto the porch as everyone else waited below, "I'd have thought you'd be on your way."

"We are, but we found Sami's boss at the island, and we were directed back to Flamenco's," Malik told her grimly, "Pierre needs to rest." Katt understood, and everyone moved to let the shaking man through. He walked into the house, bidding Sami the best of luck. Then, Shimbou decided to confront Sami as well. After seeing the state of the dome, and realizing how few weapons they had, he had reconsidered joining them. But he hadn't thought it was best to bring that up then. Now, however, was his last chance.

"I'm staying, too," he said, and Sami just blinked, "Look, thinking about it, I won't be much help now. I don't fight and we don't have enough weapons to last us anyway." Sami didn't like having to give up another member of her team, but she understood the boy's reasoning. And she knew he was right. She clapped his back.

"You helped us more than enough, Shimbou," she stated, and he smiled, "Stay here, though. All I ask is that you help keep everyone else safe." Shimbou agreed fully to that. He wasn't a fighter when it came to swords, but he could definitely outrun anything Amber threw at them. And he might even be able to steal from her, if she was distracted. But he didn't relay that fact to Sami. That'd be his own surprise. Sami turned toward everyone else. If anyone was going to back down, she needed to know. And she stated that. No one else backed away, and while she was glad for that, as she bid her sister goodbye, she couldn't help but worry that even with two less members, there were too many people for her to protect now.

The walk back to Domino had gone quickly with the night on their side to cover them. It had reached ten minutes before they saw even a hint of a streetlight, but that confirmed that Amber had left nothing to try stopping them from reaching her. But when they got closer, Sami saw why that was. There was little reason to do so; the city itself was falling apart. Buildings sagged, some shingles and tiles sliding from their roofs. Wires had been snapped all around, and some of the wane lighting was flickers as a result. But what worried Sami was that the attack had been silent. None of them had heard anything even remotely resulting from this. Amber had done something, and Sami knew just what it was. Her fists clenched.

"What happened?" Joey breathed, eyes wide, "How did this happen without us knowing!?" Sami patted his shoulder, trying to calm him. This wasn't a threat, but it definitely shook more than half of her team up. Amber was already close to disbanding her.

"It looks like she used another orb," the older woman growled, "By the fact that we haven't heard it, I'd say she used X-Zone." Ryou had never heard of the spell, but he didn't need her to explain how bad it was. The fact that the city was in such a state told him that if he encountered it, he'd wind up dead before even comprehending what happened. He glanced at her nervously.

"Most of the monsters we've seen sprout up when the land around them is destroyed," he reminded her, "Think she left anything behind?"

"Hard to say. Magic works differently in all worlds. Winbourne was saturated with power, but I don't get the same feeling with yours," she replied carefully, "If there _are_ monsters, they won't be as strong as last time. Last time, Amber was just beginning, and she was using Tiamat's power, no doubt. Now, she's tired and Tiamat fled. At worst, we'll be facing a small group, but never more than five or six at a time." Those odds didn't sound too bad to Ryou. They'd be able to win a fight, with Sami being able to take multiple targets at once alone. Rex wasn't a bad shot, either, and Bakura was great with magic. The only problem would be if Sami was wrong. Ryou prayed she wasn't.

"How're you doing without your glasses?" Rex asked, as they rounded a corner down a ruined street. Crippled establishments rose up all around them, and there was a sickly-sweet smell in the air, like that of decomposing flesh. Sami's face turned hard.

"Everything is a blur of color," she told him, "But I _can_ still see. Just don't get in the way if we start skirmishing. I don't want to kill you all." Ryou would've laughed at the irony of her statement, but he knew that she just might succeed in that, even just by accident. One misfired spell and they would be set aflame. Ryou didn't want to think of that too much as he remembered that Flamenco's had ended up in the same fate.

Farther down the road, they began to see signs of the old restaurant, and of the fire that had destroyed it. The smell was replaced with a smoky, ashen one, and there was soot scattered all the way down the road, as many as ten houses down. Some of the other buildings had been caught in the inferno as well, but as Sami bent down to examine a shining blue object, she recognized Flamenco's logo. It was one of the plates she had ordered last year. She showed it to Rex. With his vision, he saw that the edges were jagged and that they were browned a bit, too. While the material had kept from shattering, the heat was intense enough to char the very edges. He nodded, and turned her toward where they were heading.

"We're close, Winchester," he said grimly, leading her down the road. They passed more dishes, these ones shattered and scattered, along with the remains of tables, chairs, and anything else that had been within the club, carelessly tossed outside in the rage. Closer still, glass had shattered near the entrance, and Rex carefully picked his way across, leading Sami all the while. When he got to the forefront, he saw the half-hanging sign that read "Flame" on it. That was even more ironic; the building had been razed to near cinders. Only the basic structure remained now, half the storefront having been torn away.

"What the hell happened to this place!?" Malik exclaimed, even though he knew that a fire was the culprit, "…what do you think, Sam? Natural fire?" Sami's eyes narrowed. She knew this was in no way a natural fire. She could smell that magic had been used.

"Hardly," she growled, "Magic's all around the place. No wonder Pierre was so freaked out. It's so thick, even that stuck-up jackass Kaiba would be able to deny its presence." Rex snorted, smirking under his cap. Bakura and Ryou just exchanged worried glances. The magic _was_ thick; both of them had sensed it a while back, but neither were sure just what it was. Now they knew. But before they could discuss it, Joey had taken a more direct approach to the problem.

"She's in there. I know it!" he hissed, cupping his hands to his mouth, "_GET OUT HERE AND FACE US, YOU FORK-TONGUED BITCH!_" Ryou just blushed heavily, never having heard Joey so angry in his life. Then again, he wouldn't have been surprised if Flamenco's was a hangout of Joey's. Not only was it known for its decent prices, but Sami worked there, and Joey had claimed often enough that she was the best cook he knew. Along with the other cooks there. Sami just took his arm, and shook her head when he looked down at her.

"Rest easy, friend," she said calmly, "She won't be in there. She's stupid, but not that much. Chances are, she's long gone." Joey had no choice but to agree. Even he wouldn't stay there, if he were Amber. And he was glad he wasn't. Sami owned a sword, and right then, even he knew it was aimed right for Amber's throat. He just grinned broadly. Sometimes, it did pay to have someone as insane as Sami on his side.

"You're the boss, Sam!" he declared. Sami just smiled thinly. That was precisely what scared her so much. If they went in there and died, it would be by her choice. And as much as she was grateful for their loyalty, she hated taking blame for everything. And she knew too well that if news of their death ever hit Kaiba, or Yaten, they'd blame her. She had to come up with a good game plan.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

After meeting up with Sami's personal troupe and discovering that Pierre saw firsthand what transpired, Ryou and his team are now on their way to finding just where Amber hid her plans. But with danger so close, and the city a standing mark to the devastation Amber can create, can Sami find the orbs before Amber releases them? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!


	23. A Note from Dear Granddad

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Takahashi does, and he says if Ryou gets a glass splinter, I pay for the damages. Also, I know quite well that Ryou doesn't have a grandfather in the anime or manga, but for storyline purposes, he now has one.

Sami had come up with a plan in just a few minutes that, while it cut her team in half again, ensured that they'd know if and when Amber appeared, and would be able to pull out quickly enough if defeat looked like it'd take them. She had gone over it with Rex, and at first, he presented the problem of lack of power, but then when she told him who'd be assigned where, he had to agree. Mainly because he was assigned as the lookout, alongside Joey. No one else put up resistance, though Bakura, ever versed in the arts of battle and deception, offered her a suggestion that he had hoped she'd take.

"If I go in as Ryou, it may cause her enough confusion for you to kill her," he told her, "And that might be the key to win." Unfortunately, she didn't take to it. She shook her head, much to Bakura's dismay.

"I need Ryou so he can use his sword," she replied firmly, crossing her arms, "As much as I appreciate and understand what you say, I can't lose his ability to wield Zerrkandr. It's too valuable to us right now." Bakura had understood this, too, but he couldn't let Ryou go into danger headfirst. But Sami would hear no more of it, and eventually Ryou forced the old spirit to take residence back in the ring.

'_Ryou, I want you both to be safe!_' he argued adamantly, brows creased as he tagged along Ryou in a slightly less than physical form, '_This is dangerous! This could get you killed!_'

'_I know, but there's no arguing with her. She knows what she's doing_,' Ryou replied through his mind, though he was touched that Bakura was that concerned, '_Just try and hang in there. We might still need you later._' Bakura didn't like having to take a back seat when they were clearly in a bad situation, but he agreed to it. Sami was crazy, but she wasn't unreasonable. If she truly needed his help, it'd take but a second for him to respond to her. He gave Ryou the thumbs-up.

'_Deal_,' the old thief replied, and disappeared entirely that time. Ryou just smiled. With both Bakura and Sami there, he felt confident that they'd make it safely. And he was just in time to see Sami handing Rex a piece of paper, who pocketed it and nodded grimly.

"We're going in. That's my number," she told him, "If you see her, tell me and run. But don't try to fight her, not alone." Rex agreed, then clapped her on the back. The two smiled. For once, they were actually working _together_, and not arguing. That was a new case. Bidding him safety, Sami led Ryou, Yugi, and Malik into the building.

The restaurant had suffered unsustainable damage since Sami had left. That fact was clear as the crystals adorning Sami's pendant as they stepped through the entrance and into the store front. Though the front wall had collapsed, when Ryou looked back, he couldn't even see Rex anymore. The smell of burnt wood grew stronger, and there was also a thick hint of gas as well. Sami frowned. Amber had broken the gas pipes to make it appear natural. But the magic from her spell was still thick, still lingering on Sami's sensitive nose. Her wings twitched. Even with her blurry vision, she saw that the front end was a former shell of itself; a shell that had been broken, shattered, and incinerated from magic.

"I can't believe that, just a week ago, people worked here," Yugi commented quietly, as he picked his way about a sea of piled ash, "I didn't think she'd have done this."

"No one did. She picked a good disguise," Sami commented, shivering, "Lord Zellos, what the hell has died here!?" Ryou blinked as he saw Sami dash into the kitchen. He hadn't smelled any rot, but then again, the ash might've overpowered it. It was clear, however, that Sami smelled differently. And when she backed out, her skin stark white, he knew that had been the case. She turned and said, "…corpses. In there…" Ryou held her steady, terrified that she'd collapse right there. But she didn't. Malik stepped in front of her, looking around to quickly assess the room for all it was. He found nothing of interest save for the door Sami had gone into. Fearing the worst, he turned to her.

"Where's the basement?" he asked carefully, too slowly for Sami to not notice the suspicion in his voice. She snorted, a mocking sort of sound that told him clearly what he didn't want to know. She pointed to the very door she nearly collapsed in.

"Through the kitchen," she stated, and no one missed the smug undertone to her voice. Malik just groaned miserably. Of course it'd be through there. He shrugged, and began to make way for the door. If anyone was going to die first, it might as well have been him. Katt certainly wouldn't have been too surprised if that was the case. Nor would the others, for that matter.

Malik had never had the luxuries of a full-fledged, five star kitchen before moving to Domino, but seeing the state of the kitchen in Flamenco's, he proceeded to pray to every god in thankfulness for the scant cooking fires he had back in Egypt. Not only were they very effective with cooking things, if they backfired, it was relatively easy to clean up the mess. Flamenco's clearly was the complete opposite. Not to his surprise, the kitchen was a complete graveyard of appliances; not only were walls ripped apart, exposing their pipes, but anything that could've been broken to pieces, was. And graveyard, he quickly decided, was meant to be used on all terms of the word. For, hidden behind many of those appliances, as Sami had said, were multiple corpses. All of them had been burned in the fire.

"This is even worse than a horror film," he commented, as Ryou and Sami came in shortly after, Yugi being the last. Ryou didn't think the term 'horror film' did the scene any justice. Carefully, he and Sami stepped past one such corpse, ignoring the broken appliances altogether. Though, Ryou did notice Sami was making a quick look-around as well. Most probably for Pierre later. Behind a broken refrigerator, she found the door that would lead down to the basement. Like everything else, it had been burned, but not so much that it didn't stand. With one kick, the door went down, kicking up a swirl of dust as it did. They were greeted with a spiral staircase winding down into utter blackness.

"Think it's safe?" Yugi asked, coming up behind Sami as Malik and Ryou checked behind them in case something even more sinister than corpses lurked. Sami's mouth curled into a grim smirk as she tapped the pommel of her sword.

"Safe? Don't make me laugh," she replied sarcastically, "That's like asking if a branding iron will hurt you. So, let's see what it does." Ryou knew what she said was metaphoric, but Yugi just tilted his head as he watched her walk down the steps, until the darkness obscured her shape.

Lighting a small bout of fire in her palm, Sami continued downwards, noticing at once that the temperature dropped as she stepped onto the ground. How far the stairs went, she didn't know. But it had to have been deep; the ground was uneven stone. Not ten paces away stood a wine shelf; Pierre had used this for something after all. But beyond that, Sami had never gone. And she doubted Pierre had, either. Now, though, she'd see for herself what was in the basements. She continued down the corridor, grimacing as she saw that her spell gave off little light down here. The cold must've been fizzling it out to some degree. But it provided enough for her to see that the walls were interspersed between rough-hewn stone, and an almost metallic substance. And, going further, the stone turned to a polished black. It did nothing to lighten the oppression of the darkness.

"This is very creepy," Malik commented, and Sami turned to see that the others were still following. That relieved her; as much as she didn't want to admit it, being here was scaring even her. She gave a weak smile, and then turned to continue down the corridor again. She found a narrow opening leading to one of the rooms used, at one time, for storage. The smell of rotten food and old paper assaulted them, and while Ryou had particular difficulty with it, Sami ignored it entirely, walking to the crates fashioned as a makeshift desk. Upon it were a few tomes, and considering what Pierre had said earlier about the basement, that intrigued Sami. Except that she couldn't read them without her glasses. When Ryou finally came over, she shoved the tome in his face.

"Read that to me," she demanded firmly. Ryou would've laughed if she wasn't so serious. The fact that she felt she even had a right to be so pushy was amusing to him. He sat down on a crate, and with Sami providing the light, began to read the tome to her.

"Finally! After years researching the fall of the Espers, and the rise of the race of Chesaers, I have finally found one of the tools of their demise," Ryou read, though he had a feeling Sami wasn't appreciating the feigned excitement in his voice, "Hidden amongst the old ruins of what had once been Nesce, I have found one of the five orbs used to seal off the Espers' most deadly spells. This one, however, appears to be almost inactive. I wonder if all five must come together before they awaken?"

"So, then at least we know Amber didn't find them first!" Yugi exclaimed, but it didn't lighten the grave look on Sami's face. In fact, her expression grew grimmer. Ryou glanced over at her with worry. He knew she was thinking. She sighed after a moment, crossing her arms.

"The fact that he found the ruins of Nesce means that truly, the world's fallen," she said, though it was more to herself than to the others, "But why on earth would the ruins be _here_? Ryou, what else does it say?" Ryou continued on.

"Using the knowledge of the Esper spells, and the ancient language with which they created them, I have found that this particular orb contains the spell _Deugverniig_. In the ancient language, it translates roughly to 'dark' and 'chaos' when the spell is separated into two words," Ryou continued, "And that it has a sister orb that cancels its energy out. But as of yet, I know nothing of these orbs." Sami felt that was just as well, too. If this man knew too much, he would have gone utterly mad. She waved a hand.

"Whomever this is, they have an interesting amount of knowledge on the Esper language," she said bluntly, frowning, "Ryou, skip ahead. He must have found other things concerning the orbs as well." Ryou nodded and obeyed, skipping ahead accordingly. And, he wasn't disappointed.

"They exist! To my amazement, the Time Keepers exist! Today, I have spoken to one who may know of the last living Esper in this world! According to him, the spells that were sealed within the orbs were _Deugverniig, Soenfraulkt_, _X-Borgen_, and _Maetrlekt_, all of which have the ability to wipe out worlds if used with enough power," he read, and noticed at once Sami's expression turned to terror, "If only I could use their ancient magic! I could see for myself just how and why the Espers fled, leaving their kingdom to ruin."

"…Aeon," Sami growled, "He's the _only_ one aside from the Lord of Time that knows about those spells. What on earth was he doing!?" She banged on the desk angrily, and Ryou was glad Aeon wasn't with them. The man would've been throttled if he was. Taking a breath, Sami said, "Tell me this concludes well." Ryou gave the book a suspicion glance and then flipped a page. And he laughed. He didn't want to tell Sami how it all ended. But in the end, he did.

"I have gone too far! I have delved into secrets which should never have been opened in my world!" Ryou exclaimed with a flourish of mock terror, which again, Sami disapproved of, "To my horror, I have discovered the secrets of these terrible forces of power. At one time, Nesce was whole. The Espers, a mighty race, had full control of these strange, mysterious forces with which to keep the order of Oblivion strong. But now, I understand that one such Esper sought to kill, to end all that the Espers stood for. And with that, these orbs were created. But if only I could find the Esper who stopped them! If only she…" Then, Ryou abruptly stopped. Malik and Yugi exchanged curious glances, but only Sami seemed to expect the page to end right there. Just as she feared it would.

"What the hell happened?" Malik asked, wondering if Ryou was simply pausing for dramatics. Sami looked over at him crossly.

"Isn't it obvious?" she countered, "He was murdered before completing his revelation." But her only question was why that was. She highly doubted the man died naturally; what he was about to write was a terrible threat to the Mystics if the truth were discovered by anyone else. A Mystic _had_ to have killed him. Or someone who knew what he was up to. Curiously, she asked, "Who wrote that?"

"Hold on," Ryou said gently, and flipped back toward the front. The cover had no author name penned on it, but one of the pages must have. He searched for many minutes, and then his eyes widened. He dropped the book with a loud thud, and sank to the ground, shivering. Malik and Yugi gasped, as Sami bent down and caught him before his head crashed into stone.

"Ryou!" she exclaimed, hoping to snap him out of his shock, "Ryou, tell me what you found! Tell me!" Ryou pointed shakily to the book and Sami snatched it up. Then she put it down, looking at Ryou gravely. She whispered, "Yazuro Bakura…" He nodded, looking away.

"My grandfather," he whispered back, "He disappeared ten years ago. He had always been interested in the other worlds… but never once did I think it was… was like this." Sami closed her eyes. The man had been a scholar in the mystical arts. That was the only explanation for how he had known all he did. And in the end, it was that same fanaticism that had him killed. Had taken him from Ryou.

"I am sorry, my friend," she said, pulling him into a hug, "Mystics have once again proven to be the very bane of your existence." Ryou could only snort, tears spilling onto her shoulder. It wasn't only him; it was his entire family that had been destroyed from that. He looked up at Sami. There was sympathy sparkling her otherwise grim eyes. He smiled weakly.

"I'm sure he would have been thrilled to meet _you_," he said gently, "You're an Esper. You might have been able to…" He stopped. Even if his grandfather had met her, what would that have done? She would have been a child, no more than thirteen at the most. And even if she wasn't, she wouldn't remember anything to help him. If he had met her, she might have been murdered, too. He looked away.

"Did it say who killed him?" Malik asked, even though he had a good idea of who it could've been. Perhaps not Amber, but most possibly Rath. She would have been more than old enough. And she would have understood the threat Ryou's grandfather presented. Ryou's eyes hardened.

"Rath," he growled hatefully. Sami nodded, and stood, helping Ryou as well. He was shaking from the emotional strain, and she held his arm to keep him from falling. She looked at Malik seriously. He understood that look. She agreed with Ryou entirely.

"For some reason, whatever he was saying, she wouldn't have wanted to be public knowledge," she explained darkly, and the pale light revealed only half of what looked like a cruel, mocking smile, "My good guess is that she was involved in the destruction of Nesce. If that's the case, it's little wonder that this world's under their sway, if the ruins of the old Esper citadel is right here. But how much of it actually remains here?" That was a good question. Ryou couldn't believe an entire world would be sitting in another one.

"But I don't understand what that has to do with Amber," he stated, and Sami looked at him squarely, "It's hard to understand what she's actually working for. Her mother was on your side, and Rath clearly isn't lending a hand to her now. I don't get it." Sami's smile faded. She looked out toward the dark hallway they'd entered from.

"Take away that Katsaiga was her mother, and you'll see this has nothing to do with Amber," she told him gravely, "Remember when I likened this to a chess game? Amber is just another pawn. My true opponent is not her, even though we must stop her nonetheless." That made a bit more sense to Ryou. It was no wonder Amber had been so sloppy. Rath was letting her continue on. Ryou understood the rules of the game; the first pieces to go were always the pawns, even though experts swore they were the staples of the game. The only difference was, that if Sami stopped Amber, she might show some mercy. Rath wouldn't.

"But then why hasn't Rath come to take the orbs?" Yugi asked, "If Amber's just a pawn, is it possible she hid them?" Sami hummed, considering that. It wouldn't surprise her if that were the case. If Rath had the orbs, they'd have been dead long ago. Perhaps Yugi's idea held a level of truth to it. She grinned.

"You might have stumbled on something, Yugi," she replied, and then she took out her phone. Dialing Rex's cell, she explained quickly what had transpired and what Yugi thought of concerning the whereabouts of the orbs. After considering what they knew, Rex agreed, albeit it reluctantly. With a mutual agreement, in the end, Rex would search outside, and Sami would take her team and search inside. With that, she shut her phone off, pocketing it. She looked at Ryou, and he noticed she seemed almost relaxed about it. He raised a brow.

"What did he say?" he asked her.

"He's not entirely happy, but he thinks the idea's good," she replied, "I'm not sure what we'll find beyond, but if the orbs are here, my guess is it's deeper in the cellars." Ryou noticed she became thoughtful at those last words. He could see the gears in her head turning, and likewise, Malik saw them, too. He leaned against the stone wall, waiting for Sami to explain her hesitancy. When she didn't, he simply asked.

"What's your plan?" he asked her suspiciously. She laughed, a sound that rang out and bounced along the cold stone. It was both comforting yet disconcerting all the same, for it was not only loud, but emitted a ring that reverberated in their chests. Then she pointed to the Millennium Puzzle.

"If we're going to go kill ourselves, we might as well make it difficult to do," she replied simply, easily, "I want Yami and Ishtar with us for this." She turned to the ring, knowing Bakura was fuming at her thoughts already, for not one of them involved him, "I'm sorry, Bakura. Ryou needs to use his sword. If it weren't so, you would be right here with me." Ryou heard a grim agreement from Bakura, and two flashes of light off on his peripheral vision told him that Yugi and Malik let the spirits take over for now. Yami looked at Sami, and cocked his head. He looked about as sarcastic as she did just then. Ryou wasn't so sure he didn't know her intentions.

"Ready to die?" he asked. Sami laughed again, this time more harshly, and brandished her own sword.

"Ready as ever to join you," she mocked. Yami just smiled, and as Sami used her sword to break the seal on a door that Ryou hadn't seen, for it was obscured in shadow, he began to feel exactly what Yami had referred to. Evil dwelled beyond, taking more forms than Ryou cared to count. Then, the door slowly slid open. And Sami slipped inside. Right into an early grave. And she grinned as though this didn't bother her, just like the crazy bitch she'd always been.

---

Rex worried now. He had never worried for Winchester before, but he did so now, knowing that if she died down there, he would never know until he forced himself to look. And he knew if she failed, he would never look. For she had said that if he saw Amber, he was to run away and never return. Those words barely daunted on him then, but now they filled him with a dread no other case had ever done. Because now he knew clearly that what she said was true. She had sounded so grim on the phone, and though she couldn't explain all of what she had found, it was more than enough for Rex to understand that it was enough for Amber to kill her on sight. Now he stood, looking into the gloom that descended on the café as Joey scrabbled the dirt for clues.

"I can't stand here and do nothing," Rex stated, his breath heavy with anticipation. Joey managed to find a broken bottle, but quickly discarded it before looking upon the younger man.

"As Sami says, rest easy," Joey told him, standing up and wiping the dirt off his knees, "There's no point going in unless you want to die. And she needs us _out here_." Rex already knew that, but he was a cop, damn it! His job was to protect people _like her_, not let them take the brunt for a case he was supposed to be investigating. But Joey was ultimately right. If they both went in, there'd be no one to warn the others of the danger. And there'd be no one to look for the orbs.

"She'd better win or I'll be pissed," Rex simply huffed, "I hate this place! It feels like people are walking on my grave, just standing fifty feet in the vicinity!"

"Then go over there and sulk," Joey replied, pointing across the street. He heard a distinct 'fuck off, wiseass' from Rex, and couldn't help but chuckle. But he knew what Rex meant. He also felt the waves of evil energy. Pierre wasn't lying at all; this was probably worse than what the poor man had felt. Joey just shook his head. He was no expert with magic, but this would probably end up killing them all. Then he felt Rex pulling his arm hard, frantically.

"Run, idiot!" Rex screamed, and Joey's eyes opened, "Damn it, don't look, just run!" Joey was too slow to miss it. He saw the figure flying toward them. And he knew exactly who it was. Clad in leather, with a black cloak, she descended quickly and darkly. And she smiled when she saw only two of them there.

"Amber," he whispered, and turned to Rex, "Damn it, man! We have to run!"

"Run? How sad, I was going to invite you boys to play!" Amber declared mockingly, and laughed, "Silly boys and their silly games, of course." Rex was in no mood to play. He took out his gun, loading it with one bullet. He was a good shot, though he had a feeling she wouldn't die even if he managed to get six bullets in her. Still, a bluff never hurt. It might give them enough time to run and get help.

"Sorry, but I like the grown-up toys," Rex said with a smirk, aiming at her. Joey couldn't believe that was his opening threat, but he didn't argue. He wouldn't have done any better. Amber just laughed again, her laughter likening to a dying hyena, in Rex's distorted mind.

"Go ahead and shoot, hot shot," she dared. Rex growled. That was enough to tell him bullets wouldn't do a damn on her. Sami needed more time. He had to do _something_. But he was limited; he had nothing except his gun and fists. And if the former didn't work, the latter was worse. This time, Joey acted. And it was just the thing Rex wanted to avoid.

"Fall in a damn ditch and die!" Joey shouted, lunging toward her. Rex tried to grab the man's leg, but Joey was just too fast.

"You fucking _idiot!_" Rex screamed, and this time he knew he'd have to act. He aimed his gun and fired as many rounds as his gun had. Joey stopped, knowing if he went further, he'd be caught in the gunfire. As it was, Amber took eight shots in the chest. And she still stood. And when she looked at Red, almost unable to believe he'd do such a horrible thing, she looked infinitely pissed.

"You bastard!" she screamed, "You shot me! How _dare_ you shoot me, you filthy, little toad!" Rex just laughed. He half expected her to just smack him, or maybe try and kick him down, but she chose to _insult_ him instead. As though words could hurt him more than a broken neck. Then again, words of magic would do worse than that. Those _would_ kill him. And as he saw her take out an object from her cloak, he had a feeling she did have few such words. She grinned and said, "Know what this is, little boy?" Rex's eye twitched. He didn't want to alarm Joey, for he knew the man would probably go haywire, but he knew exactly what Amber had. It was small, barely bigger than her palm, but it was an orb. And it seemed to have an eternal flame within; he saw a red glow on her skin.

"So Winchester _wasn't_ full of bullshit," he muttered, "You know, she really should've said she thought you had them. Does this mean you have _all_ of them!?" Amber's teeth flashed, and somehow, they looked larger, and sharper, than Rex ever thought possible. He felt a shudder ripple through him, and he backed away. He didn't need her to answer. At this point, he was just trying to buy time. Sami needed time. And so did he, for that matter. Amber only happily obliged.

"No, not yet," she replied, and the shock must've shown on Rex's face, for she explained, "I'm missing the last one, the spell of Oregashyn. I've yet to find that pest and make him cough that orb up. But trust me when I say I have more than enough power to dismantle that little insect. The only problem is if he's already warned Sith." Rex's mouth thinned. He glanced back at Flamenco's for a second. Aeon had called Sami 'Sith.' As did the blonde man. He could only guess as to why, but he hoped that whatever her damn name was, someone somewhere warned her enough. He looked back to Amber. If he had any hopes, he'd have to stall.

"Why Winchester?" he asked, and when she raised a brow, he added, "Why play this game with her? You won't win."

"What a dolt. This isn't about winning against _me_," she said smugly, her grin growing likewise, "This is for Rath. Don't you see? If I give these orbs to Rath, she'll win. And that's more than enough." Rex's eyes widened. If Amber succeeded in that, then there'd be no point in fighting her after. There'd be no fighting period. If Rath found those orbs, the world really would end. As if to hear his silent thoughts, Amber said, "But that doesn't mean I can't have fun. _Soenfraulkt!_" Rex's fists clenched, and grabbing Joey's collar, he threw them both onto the ground as he felt a heat wave pass over them both. He had no idea what to expect from the spell, but he focused on keeping low until it passed. And he found he was lucky. The spell did next to nothing to them, though he heard crackling all around him. Praying Joey either kept quiet or collapsed, Rex kept his head down.

"Now, that provided some entertainment… I just hope Sith dies a bit more slowly," Amber mumbled, turning from what she had assumed to be corpses and heading toward the ruins. Rex heard her boots crunch on glass, and opened his eyes when he heard the creak of broken hinges. The sight was devastating. The spell had taken whatever was left of the city, at least from what he could see. But he had little time to look; right then, he needed to call Sami and warn her. He took out his phone. And using the little strength he had left, he made his call.

---

How long the fight actually lasted, Ryou couldn't say. He thought it'd have been longer, but when Sami charged through, her sword practically glowing in her hands, she was dismayed to see that the room was empty. There were shadows creeping along the walls, but they generally left the group alone as they passed. Sami looked on, completely, utterly bewildered. She had sensed the force of much evil to be slain, and yet there wasn't even a trace of a monster here. And the room was bare. Every wall was made of metallic substances, and in some instances, seemed luminous despite the gloom. It was like stepping into a science fiction movie. Except that this was real. Sami frowned.

"What trickery is _this_?" she demanded, raising a brow, "No monsters, and no shadows?" She turned to Yami and raised a brow, "Think it's a…" She didn't finish as her phone began to beep. Yami just blinked as she took it out. It was Rex.

"Who the hell would even call you!?" Ishtar asked, and Ryou nudged him as Sami took the call. At first, she had been calm. But in less than ten seconds, that calm had turned into the most violent storm Ryou had seen. Her face crossed a number of expressions. It settled on none in particular.

"_WHAT!?_" Sami eventually roared, "You aren't lying! My god… no, don't do that. Just get out and run. I don't care if you're a cop. Don't be an idiot. Yes. Thank you. Goodbye." Then, she turned her phone off. But her anger had far from faded, and just to prove her fury, she threw her phone down and smashed it apart. Everyone stared at her, but no one dared to try and stop her. They might find a sword in their chest, should they dare.

"What happened?" Ryou finally asked her. She turned to him. Her eyes had hardened harshly, practically red from how angry she now was. He knew what happened immediately.

"Amber unleashed Soenfraulkt," she growled, "She nearly killed Rex. He says she doesn't have the last orb, but it's only a matter of time until she does."

"Where's the last orb!?" Yami asked her in sudden alarm. She turned to him. But her expression told him she honestly didn't know anymore. And she didn't need to.

"I have it." Ryou's blood froze. He knew that voice too well now. Slowly, he turned, his eyes flashing for just a second as his gaze met that of the blonde man once again. The man was standing in an open window set high within the wall, its bottom just level with the ground. His face was hidden entirely in darkness, but Ryou saw the burning blue orb that served as the man's good eye. All of the sudden, Ryou's sword was in his hand, his back tense in anger.

"What are you doing here!?" he demanded harshly, and Sami gasped at the tone in his voice. He was surely furious now. The blonde man chuckled, the corners of his mouth curving up.

"Helping you," he replied casually, and tilted his head, "Or did you _want_ Sith to die?"

"Go away!" Ryou screamed, and threw the Zerrkandr with all his might. The sword went flying, but the blonde man sidestepped and the sword crashed into the wall. The resounding sound made Ryou's bones chatter. If the man hadn't alerted Amber himself, the sound definitely could have. Sami turned sharply to Ryou, brows creased in agitation.

"Ryou!" she said quickly, and he froze at her voice, "What the hell do you think you're doing!? You're going to kill him!" Ryou glanced at her. If only she knew how much he wished he had. But murder had never been in his conscious thoughts before. He had wanted the man dead, but he never acted on it. Was this truly beyond him?

"But… but he," Ryou began, but Sami obviously didn't want an answer. Her look told him he should stop speaking before she hurt him. He did so. She looked from him, to Yami and Ishtar. They looked equally as terrified. What she said next didn't even surprise them.

"Get in your items and bring Malik and Yugi back," she commanded, "Perhaps I won't kill Ryou if they're here." The two spirits exchanged nervous looks, but they complied. Within minutes, both Malik and Yugi were looking at her curiously, wondering what had scared their spirit counterparts. But she wasn't looking back. Her attention went back to Ryou; they both remained silent, though Sami definitely looked very, very angry with him. Malik decided to divert this.

"So, do we go kick ass now?" he asked, raising a brow. Sami glanced at him for a split second, but she neither turned toward him nor acknowledged him in any other way. She crossed her arms, her gaze still upon Ryou. And she shook her head.

"We're not ready," was all she would say. Malik shivered. Her voice sounded so oddly cold. Whatever Ryou had done, if anything, it must've been pretty bad. But he didn't want to bring it up. Malik just shrugged. He'd trust Sami's judgment. If she didn't think they were ready, then they probably weren't. It was fine with him. He needed some time to get used to the idea that he'd be risking his life now, while Ishtar rested within the Millennium Rod. He shrugged and sat.

"Well, when we are, wake me up," he said. But even then, he had a feeling Sami might not do that anyway. She simply nodded, and then turned from all of them. Then, she simply waited. The time was almost upon them. She felt it more strongly than ever.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

After going into Flamenco's and finding clues as to how and why the orbs had been discovered in Ryou's world, Ryou and his friends have come to the end of the road, the final battlefield. With Rex and Joey out of commission, Amber has only a few resistances before her plans are complete. Are Ryou and Sami enough to stop her before she unleashes the other spells? Can they protect the blonde man before Amber gets the orb from him? And what help can he offer to them, anyway? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!


	24. Amber Casts XBorgen

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Takahashi does, and he says he's glad someone sees Ryou for his true strength. Little does he know that this is what fanfiction is for.

It'd been an uncomfortable wait for all of them, but Ryou felt quickly that it was pressing down on him the hardest. It was bad enough that Amber might very well be on her way down there already, but to have the blonde man there, too, with the very last orb was just too nerve-racking. And then Sami was angry with him, too. Today really just wasn't his day. Then again, it hardly ever was. He'd taken to waiting with Malik and Yugi, who stayed in a corner further from the door as Sami went along the walls, looking for any sign of a door or crevice that might lead to another room. There was but one; it was locked, and she doubted even Bakura could've opened it. The only other exit was the window, and the blonde man was camped there currently. Every time Sami passed it, he merely leaned back against the frame and grinned. Ryou wanted to wipe that grin from existence.

"Okay, this blows," Malik finally said, shattering the silence, "Sami, is she even here!?" Sami turned to him, a flat expression flitting across her face. Malik forgot how much he actually missed that expression.

"Don't be an idiot. We all know she's here," she stated sharply, "The question is where. Besides, why the hell are you so eager to fight? Are you looking for a quick death?" Malik just snorted and shook his head. If he was going to die, he didn't want his last memory to be of Sami being bitchy to him. But Katt wasn't with them, so he'd have to make do with her sister. He simply shrugged as Yugi glanced at the older woman. He'd kept quiet since he came back, but now with her being so short, he risked his questions. She had never said what she was doing about Amber.

"If Amber really does release those spells, how are you going to seal them back up?" he asked her, and she froze. She really hadn't thought of that. Mainly because she didn't actually know how to. But she understood it'd probably involve death. Namely, hers. She didn't want to die, but only an Esper could properly seal them. And she was one. She felt eternally damned with _that_ memory.

"That most probably will come to me when I need it," she replied as calmly as she could. Then she turned back to the wall. There was nothing left to examine, but she had to do something to keep herself occupied. Waiting for Amber was more tiring than fighting her directly. Then again, fighting was one thing Sami actually enjoyed. As she tapped the hilt of her sword, she caught Ryou staring at her. She looked up and asked, "Yes?"

"Well… it's just… I'm not sure I understand how this will work," he said quietly, almost carefully, "Sami, how do Espers _die_? You said only old age kills them, but what will this seal do to you? Will you really die?" Sami frowned. It was true that very little could kill Espers, but this was one thing she wasn't sure of, either. There had never been a recorded sealing of spells before, because the last one happened so long ago that only the oldest of Espers remembered it. But then, why did _Sami_ know? She couldn't have been that old… could she? Ryou shuddered to even think of her actual age. It was better to assume she was twenty-three. Or twenty-one. Or however old she said she was.

"I don't know, because this has never happened before," she replied softly, "The sealing will, at the very least, exhaust the rest of my power. I may lose it for thousands of years, or even forever. And I may even suffer amnesia from the strain. The problem is that a lot of negative side effects may happen. This is dangerous magic, Ryou, and not all of it will harm Amber. A good amount will hit me, too." Ryou couldn't suppress a shiver. He didn't doubt that it'd hurt her at all. But she had never spoken of the forbidden spells, or their consequences, until recently. In fact, he'd have guessed she had never even known. Except that she had. And he wanted to know, too.

"But will it kill you?" he asked, this time rephrasing, "Will you live?"

"Most probably, I _will_ live," she replied, but her tone sounded grim again, her eyes narrowing, "And chances are, if I'm not killed for it, I'll be forced to head back to Nesce." Ryou and Yugi both looked at her at the same time. Neither knew what Nesce was, but the name seemed familiar. And likewise, both Yami and Bakura reacted to it. Only Malik seemed the least bit unaware of the name.

"What is Nesce?" Yugi asked her. She stopped, and looked over at him. Something in her face changed. She seemed… sad. Ryou took note of it. Then, she looked down again, and her eyes softened further.

"Nesce is the world of the Espers," she told them softly, sadly, "It may be in ruins now… but all Espers eventually return there. I do not know why. But if I go… I might never be able to see you again. I have this feeling, that if I were to ever get there, it would be the end of me." Ryou's shoulders fell. For once, there wasn't the usual grim undertone to her voice. For once, she seemed almost scared. Ryou bit his lip. Then he put a hand on her shoulder. It caused her to jump, just slightly.

"What if we went with you?" he asked her, "What if you didn't have to go alone?" Sami blinked, quickly at first, and then she began to understand what Ryou was getting at. She chuckled, and then she just laughed. It sounded harsh against the metal walls, ringing all around them. Then, she shook her head.

"Planning to die with me, eh?" she asked, and smirked, "Ryou, sometimes you're an even bigger idiot than I thought. There's no way you would do this."

"How would you know!?" he demanded, and he found he was harsher than he meant to be. He softened his voice, "Sami… you're one of my closest friends. How can I let this happen to you without doing anything about it? You're crazy if you think I wouldn't go, too." But if he thought that'd ever discourage her, he found he was wrong. Her smirk just grew, and again, she shook her head. Not because she didn't believe Ryou, but because she _knew_ he was serious. And she didn't approve of it. She doubted she ever would.

"You all seem to think I'm insane, so here we are," she replied, "You want to die, I won't stop you. Just don't expect me to help, either. It's your choice, after all. Now, anyone have anything else to say about it?" Ryou rolled his eyes, but refrained from speaking. Malik just snorted, shrugging as he turned toward the wall. But Sami noticed Yugi wasn't as calm as the others. He seemed tense, and she turned toward where he was gazing. At the doorway. She glanced at him, guessing what might have been wrong. And when he spoke, she found she was right.

"I think she's here!" he whispered. Sami just grumbled something incoherent. She should've known as much. Quietly, she motioned for Ryou and Malik to get their weapons ready. She didn't even need to say why, and they obeyed quickly. Then, they all turned toward the door. Nothing stirred, but they heard faint footfalls down the corridor. Which way it was, they couldn't say. But they were sure it didn't matter. Amber was close. Unfortunately, she wasn't close enough for Malik's liking, for he broke the silence soon after Sami motioned for them to stay silent.

"Where is she!?" he demanded. Sami growled and clamped his mouth shut with her hand, her sword aimed for the doorway.

"Shut up," the older woman said, and Ryou glanced when he felt a surge of power behind him. When Sami whispered '_Weislager_,' he understood what that meant. The air in the basement chilled instantly, and then Amber screamed. They heard a crackling of ice, and then a loud crunch that echoed off every wall until it shook the room. Amber rushed in, knowing fully who would do such a thing to her. Only one person in that room, aside from herself, used magic. Her rage went instantly to Sami, who seemed adequately satisfied that she had hit her target. It only doubled when she saw that her spell managed to slash a nice wound across Amber's once-flawless face.

"You… little… _bitch!_" the red-haired girl screamed furiously, eyes gleaming, "You rotten, disgusting, stupid, ugly bitch! I'm going to murder you for that!" Ryou noticed Amber sounded exceedingly exasperated, but Sami didn't appear to care too much. She laughed, and smirked at the young girl. Malik wanted to say she was insane to be so confident, but somehow, he had a feeling at least a little of the woman's smugness was warranted.

"Good luck, because not much can kill me," Sami replied easily, her smirk growing cocky, "Come and get me, you spoiled, little brat!" Ryou didn't think she should be daring that after finding out Rex had been nearly killed, but then again, this was Sami who was speaking. He was pretty sure that, even if Amber used _all five spells_, Sami might still be standing. She certainly didn't seem concerned, and Amber didn't hesitate. She rushed at Sami furiously, but the older woman easily deflected her attacks and sent her flying across the room with one shot. Amber smashed into the locked door, and Sami's sheer strength blew the door apart, the chains binding it snapping instantly. And as light filtered through, her mouth dropped open. There was one of the orbs, sitting right on the pedestal. Ryou heard her murmur, "Deugverniig." And Malik simply gasped when he saw the orb.

"It was right there!?" he exclaimed, looking at Sami, "We could've smashed it to bits and it was _right there_!"

"You seem to forget who we're dealing with," the woman replied with a chuckle, "Of course it'd be close by. Now the question is stopping her." She looked over at Amber, and saw that the girl was on the verge of an absolute panic. Her face paled, her eye twitching as she scrambled up and turned toward the newly accessible room. Sami did so much more than just break the door; she exposed the orb and the machine it was on all at the same time. And she probably broke quite a few other things, too. Amber lost it immediately.

"_WHAT!?_ No! _NO! _Not the orb! I have to secure it!!" she shrieked, running into the room. What she was doing, Ryou couldn't say, for he heard nothing but Amber's screams of obscenities toward Sami, and he shook his head. If this was what Rath had thrown at them, it was little wonder she had failed so many times before. Likewise, Sami seemed just as incredulous. But her expression turned serious as she looked at the three of them. She pointed stiffly to the door.

"Now's our chance to get the orb. I'll distract her, you go in and grab it," she said, her voice almost flat, "And by gods, if we fail, it'll be because I used an overly powerful spell to murder her." Obviously, any threat Amber was _supposed_ to pose was discounted. Ryou just snorted, taking his two friends to try and sneak inside as Sami patiently waited for Amber to come out. The girl stalked out, shaking her head and muttering to herself.

"Stupid humans and their stupid resources! Their electricity content isn't strong enough for these orbs!" Amber growled angrily, and then noticed that only one person remained now. And that very person was laughing. Amber's fists clenched as she asked, "What the hell are you laughing at, Winchester!?"

"You," Sami replied simply, her grin growing smug again, "You call yourself a Mystic, yet you've failed multiple times to kill me. _Me_. I'm not that hard to destroy. But it appears that whatever power you do possess is voided entirely. I'd say with certainty that you're a disgrace to Mystics. Perhaps even to your own mother." If Sami was hoping to get Amber mad, that definitely did it. Amber's eyes went red, her fangs growing slightly larger as she glared at the older woman. Her hand was shaking as she pointed.

"_SHUT YOUR MOUTH, YOU STUPID IDIOT!_" she screeched, eyes gleaming, "_AT LEAST I HAVE A MOTHER!_"

"You _did_, anyway," Sami corrected, "Rath killed her, remember?" Ryou saw Amber was just about ready to lose it now. He snorted, turning away to help Yugi disconnect something behind the machine. Sami glanced for only a second, and couldn't help but grin further. They were making good progress. All she had to do was keep pushing Amber's buttons.

"At least _I_ have a childhood! You're so old, you don't even remember yours!" Amber teased, and Sami just raised a brow, "As far as we're concerned, we know every little thing about you." That got little to no reaction from Sami. Her grin vanished, but what replaced it was a flat line. She looked vaguely annoyed. Ryou thought that was just as well; she looked normal.

"Then it makes it a hell of a lot easier when I go to your world and kick Rath back to Oblivion," Sami said flatly, and then went smug, "It sure as hell won't take long to kill you. That much, I'm positive of." But if that were so, Ryou wanted to know why Sami didn't do it already. What was she waiting for? Was she enjoying batting Amber around? Either way, Amber took it.

"You're insulting my intelligence!?" she yelled. Ryou was sure Sami couldn't get any cockier. He was quickly proven wrong. Now she looked amused.

"I thought that was obvious," the woman replied, "Then again, it's not like you'd be smart enough to know it. As we all saw, you couldn't even send us to the right world to meet our doom." Malik snickered, and this time Amber did lose it. She screamed, her nails growing sharp as she lunged to try and rip the woman's throat out. Sami ducked, kicking Amber into the adjoining wall. Then she turned back and said, "_NOW!_" Ryou didn't hesitate.

"Pull!" he commanded, and the three of them pulled a very large cord until they heard a crack. The cord broke free of the wall, taking a good chunk of metal down with it. The orb went from a luminous purple to black, and Ryou took it off the stand. It felt warm, and he felt a swirl of dormant power in it. Quickly, he ran over and handed it to Sami. To her relief, it didn't suffer much damage at all. She looked up at Ryou and smiled.

"One orb in our possession," she said, and then turned, "Let's get back to the blonde man and give this to him." She half-expected an angry protest from Ryou, but a gasp behind her told her something was wrong. She spun, and her eyes went wide. Amber had recovered, and now Ryou was in her grip. The ring had been sliced off his neck, and Sami saw light gleaming from a pointed object in Amber's hand. A shard of glass. A rather large shard, at that. Sami swore.

"Cowardly, little brat!" she spat angrily, grabbing her sword, "Fight me if you dare!" But when she came close, Amber laughed and held the shard closer to Ryou's neck. Sami froze. She saw a drop of blood welling up. Her eyes narrowed angrily. This was definitely forcing her hand.

"One more step, Sith, and I'll murder him," Amber said darkly, "Now give me that orb."

"You're a coward!" Sami screamed at her, eyes blazing red with fury, "To take a hostage!? I'm absolutely appalled! Let Ryou go or I swear I'll unleash an inferno that'll take down three of your worlds at once!" Ryou winced. He didn't know how sure Sami's threat was, but he didn't want to find out. And he knew Amber was stupid enough to take her up on that offer. If only to see if she could do it. Amber moved the knife closer, and a red line appeared on Ryou's neck. He hissed in pain.

"It's either that orb or your boyfriend," Amber replied coolly, "Both of them." Sami's wings shook, but she knew she had to make a choice. And in the end, she chose Ryou. But she certainly didn't go gracefully. She threw the orb at Amber, and the girl knew it would shatter if she didn't let Ryou go. She leapt up and barely caught it before it could crash into the wall next to her. Ryou stumbled to the ground and crawled away. Sami helped him up, and for once, she looked genuinely upset. She took a deep breath.

"You okay, Ryou?" she asked somberly, inspecting his wound. It was a small cut, and though it was bleeding, it would heal relatively quickly. Ryou just smiled for a second. Then he patted her shoulder. She possibly made the most fatal mistake she could.

"Why'd you give her the orb?" he whispered, "She'll kill us now."

"I don't want her killing you," Sami replied, "Now shut up and let me think." Ryou frowned. That was a blunt request, and honestly, the words stung him. She didn't have to be rude. He watched her pace for a minute.

"You regret giving her the orb," Ryou concluded, when Sami didn't speak again. She halted, looking at him grimly. He knew he hit the nail right on the mark. Then she snorted, and shook her head.

"I highly doubt she knows how to unleash them, so until Rath comes here, we should be safe," Sami reasoned, "Now, while she's cowing over that orb, let's stab her in the back for trying to kill us. Where's your sword?" Ryou blinked profusely. He didn't actually remember where he put it, but he knew he put it down _somewhere_. He looked around quickly, along the stacks of crates and barrels. But his sword was nowhere in sight. If Sami found out, he might as well be dead. Just then, he caught another figure entering the room. A knot formed in his stomach, as he was unable to make out who it was. But he had a very ill feeling. He backed away.

"I have it," came the voice Ryou had prayed died. The blonde man entered, and the grin he wore was smug and overconfident as he strode in. His leather boots barely made a sound as he crossed the room. His grin widened as he passed Sami, and then he stopped just ten paces short of Ryou. In the shadow, Ryou barely saw the man's good eye. But he saw the grin. It looked almost feral.

"Give me that sword!" Ryou demanded, brows creasing. He knew he had no chance of fighting the blonde man, but without that sword, he wouldn't even have a chance against Amber. The blonde man gave a cocky smile, but he didn't hand the sword over. No, he had a much better use for it. For later, however. He just snorted.

"I don't think you deserve it," he said simply, and then turned to Sami, "How're you faring, Sith?" Sami seemed almost shocked, but her face became calm again when she realized he was speaking to _her_. She nodded, but her expression was grim as she walked toward him. Ryou noticed he seemed to soften as she came close. His eye twitched. He would've really liked to stab the man with his sword. So it was probably best he didn't have it right then.

"We could be doing better, but no one's dead yet," she replied, and the man just laughed, "Now, what are you doing? We need the sword." Ryou just grinned. The blonde man wouldn't argue with Sami. He knew that. Except the man wasn't handing her the sword. His smile vanished. He stood the sword upright and leaned on it.

"What the hell makes you think Ryou's able to use it?" he demanded, so forcefully that it came as a shock to Sami, "Sith, babe, if you haven't noticed, he's not exactly the most effective person when it comes to killing these assholes." Ryou saw Sami's mouth thin. Somewhere, she believed the blonde man. Ryou wanted to smack her across the face for it, too. He was more than capable to wield it! Didn't she say it _chose_ him? And if it had, it should've been burning the man right then. Sami's expression softened. She walked forward and took the man's hand. His eyes widened.

"But you can't use it," she told him, "I beg of you, give it to him. It will kill you." Silence fell in the entire room. The man continued to stare, eyes widen and unblinking as he looked at Sami. Ryou couldn't be certain, but he thought the man's eyes watered. Then it was gone. His breathing quickened and he thrust the sword towards Ryou, who jumped back in surprise. The movement was quick enough to slice through him if he wasn't careful.

"Why… do you care if I die?" he asked, his gaze never leaving Sami. She froze. Ryou froze too. The man waited patiently, but Sami gave no answer to him. She merely shook her head and turned away.

Ryou had never seen Sami cry. At least, he could never remember a time he'd seen the tears. But even though she turned away from them all, he saw them fall. His fists clenched, but not in anger. Only in frustration. He had no idea how to help her; he knew exactly why she cared if the man died or not. He took a breath. He didn't want to admit it, didn't even want to think about it. But it was right there, staring him in the face. He walked over and put a hand on her shoulder. She didn't jump. But she did notice. He knew she had.

"Will you be okay?" he asked quietly, as to not scare her. She looked ahead, at the stone wall. Then she nodded grimly. She felt tense. But when she looked back at him, she had a weak smile on her face.

"It'll be fine, Ryou," she said, "We just need to kill Amber and it'll be fine." Sometimes, he wished she wouldn't lie. Even if they killed Amber ten times, it wouldn't help Sami in any way. But he let her leave it at that. That's just how she worked sometimes. He let go of her, and turned. Amber had come back at that point. She just chuckled.

"How disgustingly touching," she spat, and any amusement she had was dropped, "But you ought not make promises you can't even keep, Sith." Her face looked gaunt as she spoke, and suddenly Ryou had the distinct feeling they weren't fighting a young girl anymore. Likewise, Sami turned as well. She looked just as dark as she unleashed her sword. Without even an effort, there was a spray of wind that caused Ryou to stagger back from it. The blonde man caught him and kept him from falling.

"Use a forbidden spell and it'll be the very last thing you do before my sword's down your throat," the older woman growled, "What are you up to!?" Ryou shivered, not only from being so close to the man he hated, but from the fury in Sami's voice as well. If Amber were any smarter, she'd have fled at that point. But it was clear she was a damned idiot. She laughed at the older woman. It was such a shrill, shrewd sound. It made Ryou's skin crawl. And it could have shattered windows, if it hadn't already.

"You know a lot for someone who doesn't know her own memory," the younger girl remarked with a smirk, "And here I thought we'd all be disappointed. Do say hello to your father when I send you to…"

"_INFEIRDIM!_" Sami screamed before Amber had a chance to finish. Her voice echoed off the walls, and Ryou saw the entire room redden with the fury of a thousand fires. Crates exploded, their metallic edges melting into the floor. Fires erupted all around them, growing to unbelievable sizes in alarming rates. Ryou wasn't so sure how hell should've looked, but Sami seemed to have created it. He and the blonde man backed away, until he noticed something crucial he hadn't noticed before. He wasn't feeling the sparks of overwhelming strength that he normally felt whenever Sami cast. Right then, his nose should've been bleeding. But he felt nothing unusual. Actually, the more the spell came into effect, the more he felt Sami's power ebb away. Something wasn't right.

And no sooner had the raging inferno started, that he saw why he felt no power from Sami. Just on the edge of vision, almost as transparent as a hallucination, he saw the formations of a portal. He squinted. He both saw and couldn't see it. But it was definitely there. And as Sami's spell worsened, it grew solid. And in mere seconds, Sami's spell was reduced to nearly nothing. The portal had reached full width. And Sami herself… looked ready to collapse. Ryou and the blonde man both ran to her, both catching her as she fell, dragging her away. The spells had done too much to her.

"What is that!?" Ryou heard Malik yell. But he didn't care for an answer. He knew what it was; Amber had to have unleashed X-Borgen. And without Sami, there was little to do to stop it. He held onto her. She felt frail again, just as she had when they'd first taken the crystal from her. He cursed audibly. Why was the cost of using magic so high? If he lost her, someone else would die for it.

"We have to move her!" he tried to call to the blonde man, who hoisted Sami into his arms. Ryou could see he was doing his best to handle her gently; her wings were already broken at that point. The man nodded, but saying was easier than doing. There was no place to go; the portal blocked all form of escape for both of them. The man's body shivered. And he breathed deeply. There was only one way to go now.

"Hold onto your pants and don't shit in them," he said to Ryou, and before the boy could stop him, leapt straight into the portal. And Sami was still in his arms. Ryou screamed. He watched as the man dove into the darkness, disappearing from view. And the damn bastard took Sami with him. Ryou's scream worsened. This was unfair. He lost Sami. And it wasn't just to Amber. That horrible man just took her. And he didn't even say anything about it. Ryou suddenly stopped screaming, and his tears dried quickly. His eyes narrowed, and he came to one resolution. That man had to die. He had the means to kill him. Amber just laughed gleefully. Ryou looked up at her.

"Very unlike you, to want to kill another!" she commented smoothly, and clapped, "Way to go, Ryou Bakura. It wasn't my intention to let you live, but I want to see just how this battle will play out."

"Where did you send them!?" Ryou demanded angrily, his voice holding a menacing tone he had never used before. But Amber wasn't affected. She smiled and pointed to the portal.

"In there," she said. Ryou just growled. And then he was off. He dove into the portal, straight after the blonde man.

Malik had never thought himself as being screwed over eternally. He was just seventeen years old, and he knew his life was too short for him to call perfect, but he never thought he had been royally fucked. Now he knew he was wrong. Ryou had just left for who knew where, and Sami had been dragged away. And that left him with a Mystic. A crazy Mystic who wielded not just one orb, but all five of them, no doubt. And any of the orbs could've killed him right there. That was just great. He shook his head. Of all the stupid things Ryou could've done, actually listening to Amber had to be the stupidest.

"Damn idiot had to get angry and let that guy get into his head," Malik huffed in disbelief, turning to Yugi, "This blows." Yugi nodded absently, but he wasn't paying attention to his friend. He merely looked at the damage X-Borgen had done. Or lack of damage, to be more precise. The portal was still there, still whirring in mid-air, but it hadn't destroyed anything. Unlike Sami's spell, which left pretty much everything save for the two of them in crumbling piles of ash. They were lucky to even be standing. But their friends weren't. Yugi saw Ryou head right into the portal. He frowned.

"You don't think they died, do you?" he asked. Malik stopped speaking, and looked down. He didn't _want_ them to be dead, but realistically, if Amber sent them straight to Oblivion, they probably were. But it couldn't have been so simple! Amber would've been celebrating. And she said clearly she was letting Ryou live. He shook his head again. No, they couldn't be dead.

"I think Amber's playing another game," he corrected, and frowned, "Unfortunately, Sami's gone and none of us are good at chess." Yugi just snorted, remembering the reference Sami had made. Malik was right, in any case. Only Kaiba was particularly good at chess, and he was at odds with Sami anyway. Not that he could've been any help. Against a Mystic, Yugi doubted he'd last as long as they did.

"Should we try and stop her?" he asked Malik, referring to Amber. Malik didn't even need to take a moment to think to know just how dumb that plan was.

"Nah. I don't feel like dying, and Sam's going to shit bricks if she finds out we decided to be just as insane as she is," Malik reasoned, "No, we'll look for Katt and we'll do as Sami said. We'll leave Domino." It was clear Yugi didn't like that idea, but they had no other choice. Malik was right again. They couldn't stop Amber. So, they left the room. Amber was waiting patiently for Ryou to return, and she gave no objection to their flight. Whether she did it purposely or not, Malik didn't know. But as they climbed out of the basement and ran through the kitchen, he was just glad. Only when they ran through what had once been the front doors, did they speak again on the subject.

"But won't that do more damage than good!?" Yugi asked, panting from how quickly they had run. Malik stopped. For once, running away started looking bad. But what else could they do? He couldn't let them both walk right into death, and Sami had said specifically to run away should anything happen to her. And a lot of stuff happened. He took a breath. This was a lot harder than he thought it would be.

"It's all up to Sami now," he said sternly, "Now let's go find Rex and Joey." He knew that even if Yugi didn't trust _him_, he trusted Sami. The small boy just nodded, and together, they walked out into the barren lot across the street. Whatever was going to happen, they had to leave it in Sami's hands again. But somehow, they knew they could trust her to finish the job. All they needed to focus on was getting everyone back safely. And that was all they _could_ do. At least, Malik told himself that as they walked.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

Just when Ryou comes close to obtaining an orb and tipping the odds into his team's favor, Amber decides to have one more show, and sends him delving into Oblivion to stop the blonde man and save Sami's life. With time dwindling with each fragile second, will Ryou be able to find Sami and bring her out to stop Amber? Or will the world fall into eternal night with the forbidden orbs? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!


	25. Sith's Assault

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Takahashi does, and he wants to know why Ryou almost dies in every one of my stories.

Ryou didn't know just where he was ending up, but as he flew through the portal, and flew through what felt like darkness, he became aware that wherever this was, it wasn't killing him. But he knew enough that it wasn't his world. Why Amber had let him live, let him run off to find Sami, he didn't know. But finding her was imperative; he didn't want to know what would happen if he lost her. Finally, he began to descend. He didn't see how, as the ground wasn't visible. It was as black as the sky. Yet he _felt_ himself descending. And finally, he managed to crumple to the ground. He wasn't entirely surprised that it hurt, either.

"Ouch," he growled, slowly getting up to look around. It felt neither hot nor cold, but it looked dark enough. Wherever he was, it stretched on forever in every direction, and when he looked up, he saw weak stars burning dimly above him. For a second, he wondered where he actually went. This couldn't have been Oblivion; he had thought Oblivion was generally the same as 'outer space.'

"So you made it here, too," came that same voice Ryou hated. He turned. The blonde man was right there, his face half hidden in shadow. His good eye burned again with that ferocious fire Ryou had seen, but he looked much more gaunt than before. Perhaps it was just the lack of light. Then Ryou noticed the man was missing something. Sami was no longer in his arms. Ryou's mouth dropped. He had been certain he saw the man leap with Sami still cradled close to him.

"Where is she!?" Ryou suddenly demanded, knowing he had seen right, "Tell me!" He rushed over and grabbed the blonde man's coat angrily, but the man shoved him away. Ryou fell back, and crashed onto the floor again. He looked up, his eyes colored with hate. This bastard of a man _lost_ her! Sami could be anywhere now! Ryou scrambled up. He would find her. And he'd do it without the man. He threw a punch, which the man blocked without a sweat. But Ryou kept coming. He didn't know exactly what was drawing his rage, but he wanted to pummel something. He wanted to beat something to death, and the blonde man made the perfect target. Except that Ryou wasn't hurting him. The man threw him back again.

"Do that once more," the man growled, "I dare you. I want to see you do it so I can murder you already. Come on." Ryou wanted to scream. Why was _he_ the bad guy? The blonde man was taunting him! And he fell for it. He scrambled and ran again, throwing all of his weight into body slamming the man six feet under. They both fell this time, snarling at each other. Ryou was clawing his way into the man's good eye. And for once, the blonde man was having a hard time shaking him off.

"And just what… do you _humans_ think you are doing!?" Ryou stopped trying to strangle the man as he heard that voice. He didn't recognize it; it was gruff, deep… almost what you'd hear if dogs could have a voice. And when he turned, he saw it _was_ a wolf speaking to him. A very large, silver wolf. With two large, piercing golden eyes. The wolf growled and said, "First we come here to seek refuge and now we find you pitiful creatures killing each other! What a joke, to have our homeland fall into your world!" Ryou just blinked. He was sure wolves couldn't talk, but this one had more than enough words for him. He got off of the blonde man, and looked at the wolf closely. Even standing, he was still shorter than the large creature. His guess was it wasn't friendly, either.

"…" It suddenly dawned on Ryou just why this wolf was talking. His body shook. Sami wasn't the only Esper alive, after all. Gently, he said, "Esper." The wolf tossed his massive head back, looking sharply at Ryou. His fangs glistened despite the darkness of the black sky.

"So you aren't as stupid as you look. A relief, to be sure," the wolf growled, "My name is Fenrir." Ryou wasn't quite sure how to reply to that. He wasn't used to being insulted, and he certainly didn't know how to address an Esper. Unfortunately, the blonde man was much, much quicker. And he wasn't nearly as polite. Ryou saw him take a pistol and load it, though he didn't shoot. Yet.

"Nice name, dog. Now move," the man growled, "We're looking for Sith. I'm sure you've heard of her." Ryou stared at the man. Not only did he _insult_ an _Esper_, but he threw Sami into the fire, too. But the name produced a surprising effect. Fenrir's eyes widened, and his feral rage was gone. General worry replaced it, and he stepped back a few paces. Ryou turned to him. That was something he didn't think he'd see. The wolf grunted and growled, and then tossed his head back again.

"We all know of Sith Winchester. Rest assured she is not forgotten," the wolf said in a low voice, "I suggest, humans, you refrain from finding her." Ryou snorted. He'd need more than that to give up looking for Sami. And he knew the blonde man would need more, too. At least that was one thing they had in common. Ironically, it was the one thing they wanted to kill each other for, too. But irony could be considered when they were safe.

"Give us a damn good reason to do _that_!" the blonde man demanded as Ryou asked, "What could Sami have possibly done?" The wolf regarded them both with piercing eyes. He normally didn't divulge information to such _peons_ like humans. But to hear they had connection to _Sith Winchester_… that was a story he'd have never thought possible.

"If only you knew who she truly was," the wolf said, though it was more to himself than to the boys. Then he seemed to chuckle. "Sith Winchester was once a mighty Esper. But, long ago, she was forced to do something so terrible, it would have destroyed your world if she had succeeded. And, as her elders, we were forced to act. It was… a terrible move on our parts." Ryou's eyes widened. Whatever had happened, it really must've rattled Sami's mind worse than he thought. She had never spoken of this. And that was because she probably didn't even remember it. But it'd explain so much about her if it was true. Her conquest against the Mystics, her amazing ability with magic, and even her own personality. But what was the actual connection?

"But it was a move we had to make, lest it destroy us," said another Esper, this one being a goat with a green mane, "Had we not sent her running, she would never have been able to control the forbidden spells." The spells! Ryou frowned. Sami said those spells had terrible effects. She must've used them. It explained why she knew of them at all. And if they had the ability to erase memory…

"She used them, didn't she?" Ryou asked, "Sith. She used the orbs, didn't she?"

"Yes. She used but one," Fenrir said darkly, and Ryou thought he felt the hairs on his neck prickle, "And it nearly destroyed both worlds in one shot. We were forced to remove her. But… she escaped before we could detain her." Ryou didn't know whether that made him happy or sick. He shook his head. That couldn't be the same woman he'd come to know. Sami _detested_ those terrible spells. Why would she ever use one herself!? He looked at the blonde man. He was listening intently, his eyes gleaming. Ryou thought he saw a hungry look in them. He shivered and turned back to the two Espers.

"What happened to her?" he asked, and at that, silence fell. Ryou tensed. The answer was obvious. She came to _him_. He dared a look at them all. Fenrir was simply watching him carefully, and the second Esper said nothing, looking away. But the blonde man was grinning as he looked down at Ryou. The look was smug. Ryou felt anxiety well up in him, and he asked, "Well!?"

"We do not even know the answer," the second Esper replied after a long moment, "She escaped to another world. We lost her… after he appeared." Ryou glanced at the blonde man. That hungry look returned, but it was even stronger. Right then, Ryou was glad Sami wasn't with them.

"Who is she?" Ryou asked quietly, eyes watering, "Sami… she's Sith, isn't she? That's why… that's why everyone calls her Sith. That's her. She's the same one, isn't she?" The second Esper closed his eyes, but Fenrir nodded grimly. Now Ryou felt ready to faint. That meant this all was truly real. The Mystics had a perfectly good reason to destroy his world. The blonde man had a reason to be there. And Sami had a reason to run. No, _Sith_ had a reason to run.

"The only one who can truly confirm her is Bahamut," the second Esper said, "He knows Sith's identity far better, and he's been searching for her for over three thousand years. He will… tell you when he finds her." Ryou didn't want that at all. If the Espers found Sith, she would be done for. He knew whatever she had done, it was serious. Likewise, the blonde man looked absolutely flustered. He lowered the pistol, his eyes quite wide with terror.

"You're going to summon that _snake_ on her!?" he spat in disbelief, "You Espers have got to be kidding! Sith doesn't deserve that!"

"_SILENCE!_" Fenrir roared, bearing down on the man, "Who are you to decide what is fair and unfair for Sith Winchester!? You, who have so far hidden her from us, you who have taken it upon yourself to thwart us so majestically! I shall devour you for that slander!" Ryou shook visibly from the hatred in the wolf's words. But the blonde man didn't falter a bit. Even as the wolf's sharp fangs came just inches from his slender form, the man was well-composed. Either he was very stupid, or very strong. Ryou took an educated guess that he was both.

"Do it, then. It's not like before," the man replied softly, almost sadly, "As for deciding, why shouldn't it be me? Why should it be Ryou?" Everyone turned to Ryou this time, and the boy staggered back. _He_ was able to choose for _Sami_? That seemed entirely unlikely, since she never once listened to him anyway. Fenrir looked back at the man, still pinned beneath his massive paws.

"If the choice were mine, it would be _neither_ of you," the wolf growled angrily, and the man winced at the smell of the Esper's breath, "For you both are pathetic men. But alas, only Sith's own _heart_ will tell us what to do. As if that could possibly save you." Ryou thought Fenrir would eat the man right there, but the wolf got off and stormed away a bit farther back. The blonde man sat slowly, his head spinning from the wolf. But when he went for his pistol, the second Esper intervened with a raised hoof. The man froze.

"Do not hate us because we cannot help you," the Esper said gently, yet firmly, "Let Sith decide for you." The man nodded, but Ryou could tell that wasn't enough.

Suddenly, a terrible force shook Ryou, one he had never felt before. He looked up, hearing a whistle just beyond human hearing. The others heard it as well. And there, they saw a bright star. Or what looked like one. But clearly, it was more than that; it was coming closer with each passing second. And with each of those seconds, the force Ryou felt grew doubly powerful. It felt as if his bones would shatter, should it continue to grow. He squinted. The star took form now. It was no normal Esper; it was a huge beast of an Esper, and Ryou saw that the 'star' was from the light radiating off of the halo adorning its head. Black wings spanned from either side of its body; the inside pockets of the wings shone with every imaginable hue. But what truly caught Ryou was the head. It was serpentine in nature, but its bulk was much heavier than any serpent Ryou had read, either in school or among Sami's books. Two horns protruded from its long snout, and mist issued from that same snout. Even without the books, Ryou knew what he now beheld. A dragon. A giant dragon of holy power. And it was close to landing.

"Lord Bahamut!" the second Esper breathed, "In all my years, it has been far too long!" The dragon landed with a loud thud that echoed across the empty plains. Up close, it seemed even bigger than the mountains that surrounded Domino. And its power felt all too intimidating. Ryou fell back in terror. But the dragon didn't feel hostile. It regarded him with golden orbs. Then, it spoke.

"In my many years, in the millennia I have spent, only few have been able to worry me as Sith Winchester has," he said gently, his voice driving whatever fear Ryou held away, "But I see now that the situation has not improved. I am… not surprised to see you here, Mihael." Ryou looked at the man. Now he looked terrified. The blonde man backed away, shaking his head. He had dropped his pistol. But he said nothing. Ryou chose to ignore him, turning back to the dragon.

"Where is she?" he asked the dragon worriedly, "We… Amber sent us here, but we lost her. She's here, right?"

"It appears she no longer carries the identity of _Sith Winchester_," Fenrir warned the giant Esper, "That human insists that her name is Sami, however pathetic that human name may be." Bahamut nodded, but didn't seem too disturbed by that news. Ryou wasn't surprised. Sami did work for the ESB, after all. The dragon looked up at the sky for a long moment. Ryou couldn't find what he was looking at; it was pitch black and the stars were too dim to be of interest.

"But she acknowledges that her name is Sith," the dragon mused, "The advent is arising, after all."

"What advent?" Ryou asked. All three Espers turned to him quickly, and he suddenly felt very small amidst their presence. Whatever the 'advent' was, it was important. But only he seemed the least bit unknown to it. Even the blonde man, who was once so scared and pale, seemed immediately concerned at Bahamut's words. He turned to Ryou. Ryou was surprised the blonde man would even answer him.

"You probably don't know, but a long time ago, the throne of Nesce used to be ruled by a woman named Sith," he explained, "Sith's not a common name. We're pretty sure _my_ Sith is the Sith they want. As you can imagine, the Mystics don't want her on the throne. It'd mean a shitload of trouble for them. So, they kind of want her dead, even if she's not the right one." Ryou didn't believe for a second that Sami was the wrong one. Amber alone was enough to convince him. The only problem was if Sami didn't believe it. And a story this outrageous, she might not believe. He turned to the dragon again.

"Fenrir said that Sith did something that caused her to run away. What did she do?" he asked, and the dragon blinked, "Please, sir. I know Sami, so I think I know Sith, too. She wouldn't do anything that'd hurt anyone." At least, he was _sure_ she wouldn't. Maybe. Bahamut chuckled. Ryou knew nothing about Sith, this much the dragon was sure. But he found no harm in telling the boy. For now, the boy was part of her life. He deserved to know.

"She killed the only one who could unleash and seal the forbidden spells," the dragon replied simply, but it didn't lessen Ryou's absolute confusion, "That is all you need to know until she learns more about herself." Ryou nodded, wondering how long that would be. But the blonde man clearly wasn't up to the wait. He had regained his courage. Or his stupidity, considering that he picked up his gun and aimed it right at Bahamut again. Damn idiot never knew when to just _do nothing_.

"Yeah, and until you sons of bitches take her away again, too!" the man spat furiously, his good eye burning in outrage, "I'm not letting that happen again, so you all can go to hell and shit yourselves!" Ryou's mouth dropped. Even Rex wouldn't have said _that_, and he hated Espers more than the blonde man could have. At that point, it wouldn't have even mattered, anyway. Fenrir lunged and pinned the blonde man again, his eyes gleaming as he bared his fangs. The blonde man smelled the fumes of fetid flesh. He retched.

"I'm sorry, pathetic whelp. I didn't realize that you _wanted to DIE!_" the wolf roared, and Ryou swore he saw drool issuing off of its oversized fangs, "_Insulting Lord Bahamut is going to be the LEAST of your troubles when I devour your disgusting soul!_"

"That is enough, Fenrir," Bahamut said seriously, knocking the wolf away like a puppy. Then, he turned to Ryou, "Sith Winchester is an enigma to us all. It's been some time since any of us have seen her, so forgive us for how we responded to her name." Ryou saw he glanced at the blonde man for a split second. The poor guy was currently trying to avoid lying in his own vomit. Ryou felt pity well up in him again. Even if the man was a conceited jackass, he didn't deserve such a humiliating endeavor. He turned to the dragon.

"But do you know where she is?" he asked calmly, and said, "Please, Espers, I beg of you. Help us find her! She might be able to save our world." Bahamut glanced at the two smaller Espers. Fenrir didn't seem entirely keen on helping them, but the second Esper did. Bahamut took in a deep breath, and looked back at Ryou. It took little effort to find Sith; she was very, very powerful. But the devastation at seeing them… Bahamut had to risk it. Ryou wasn't lying to him, and he knew from Tiamat that their world was close to collapse. They _needed_ Sith.

"Sith Winchester is fine," he replied gently, and pointed a claw due north, "She is ahead." With that, Fenrir and the other Esper vanished entirely. Bahamut stayed for just a moment longer. He eyed Ryou carefully, and then looked at the blonde man. Ryou had the feeling he understood the battle between the two men. And when Bahamut spoke again, Ryou found he was right. "I wish not to know who will win your own war, Ryou." Ryou frowned, but before he could ask, Bahamut was already out of sight. His shoulders dropped. That was more confusing than it was informative. He turned to the blonde man.

"You know about Sith," he said, neither angrily or jealously, "Do you think we can tell her what we know?" The blonde man retched one last time and finally rolled away, shrugging his leather coat off. Underneath, he wore still more leather attire. And he didn't look any less intimidating from it. He turned to Ryou and shook his head as he folded his coat up.

"No. She has to learn on her own," he replied grimly, and then frowned, "Ryou, look. I know you want to help Sith, but this isn't the way we do things. We can't tell her. She wouldn't believe us anyway. Her story's too sketchy, and way too damn old." That didn't mean they couldn't try. Ryou looked to where Bahamut had directed them. Like all the other directions, it was dark and black and empty. He couldn't feel Sami anywhere. He shook his head.

"So we don't do anything?" Ryou asked, and when the blonde man nodded and turned away, he exclaimed, "Why!? That's… that's stupid! We have to tell her!" He wanted to argue, but when he took a step forward, he felt a hand shoot out of nowhere and turn him around. He yelped. And then he saw what grabbed him. It was Sami. Or was it Sami? She looked the same, but her clothes were different now. Ryou wondered just where she got her new attire; she looked like a warrior straight out of a SaGa game.

"Feel free to," she told him calmly, and he saw the remnants of a sly grin, "I already know." Ryou just stared, at first unable to believe it _was_ her. Last time he saw her, she was down for the count. But this was Sami, after all.

"You're alive!" he breathed, and when she nodded, he asked, "But what do you mean, you already know? What do you know?" Sami just chuckled, and pointed her chin toward the darkness. Ryou looked, but couldn't quite understand what she was getting at. The blonde man was much quicker, and he laughed. Ryou just stared at them both, continuously perplexed by the encounter. Sami's smile grew.

"I overheard you all talking," she told him, "I liked the part about Sith. I like that name. I never thought Sami was a good name for me. Not so keen on the ruling of Nesce, but I like the name." Ryou could only shake his head. Sami was craftier than he thought. Not even Bahamut detected her presence. Or perhaps he had? She did come out of absolutely nowhere. For all they knew, she _had_ been northbound. Ryou couldn't fathom it.

"I don't know whether to be surprised or amused," he mumbled in disbelief. Sami chuckled again, and crossed her arms.

"Bank on being amused. I find it's easier," she replied, amusement clearly coloring her voice. Then she went serious again, "But now a more pressing problem. If the Mystics are after me, there's a chance they think they've won. I want to kick their asses for it, so as soon as we get whatever else we need, let's get the hell out of Dodge." Ryou couldn't agree more, but with the Espers gone, they weren't likely to get anything else that might help them. He would've relayed what they learned, but if Sami already overheard, there wasn't too much point. He looked at her.

"So, if you and Sith are one and the same, which name should you take?" he asked her, and she tilted her head, "I mean, we don't know for _sure_, but everyone seemed pretty sure that you're the Sith they're looking for." Sami nodded wryly, and looked out over the barren darkness. Her eyes narrowed for just a moment.

"Might as well go with Sith," she finally said, "At the very least, it'll throw Amber off a little. She won't be expecting it. And even if I'm not her, I'm sure she won't mind my borrowing the name." Ryou frowned. He doubted that was the case, and likewise, she didn't go any further into that particular scenario. The blonde man just seemed relieved to finally hear her call herself that. He clapped his hands, then stood by her side and placed a hand on her shoulder. Ryou felt his stomach churn.

"I say we get this show moving, Sith," he told her with a grin. Ryou wished Fenrir _had_ devoured him; he looked so damn smug. Sith just nodded, but Ryou noticed she was hesitating now. He asked her what was wrong. The problem, as it turned out, wasn't so little. Nothing ever was, when it came to her.

"Because I personally don't have the spell, there's not much I can do to counteract X-Borgen," Sith said grimly, "The best bet is to wait for Amber to use the spell again and take advantage of the portal she'll open." The blonde man seemed to go for this idea, but Ryou felt that, unless Malik actually stayed, the chance of Amber using the spell was slim. And he knew Malik wasn't that stupid. He shook his head. He didn't like going against Sith, but this idea wouldn't work out.

"How did Bahamut get out?" he asked her. Sith's lips thinned. She'd seen pretty much what Ryou had witnessed. And that wasn't much to begin with. They literally _vanished_.

"My guess is he _flew_," the blonde man joked, earning a sharp rap on the head from Sith. She obviously didn't like his sarcasm. Ryou couldn't say he disagreed.

"I'd ask for their help, but I don't think they liked us," Ryou admitted timidly, and then added, "Or you, for that matter."

"I'm not surprised by any of that," Sith replied calmly, shifting her weight a bit, "Espers in general don't like humans, and I'm not exactly the nicest or law-abiding of the bunch." Ryou could only snort. Rex, Kaiba, and many others could easily attest to that, but he didn't bring it up. No matter who agreed on what, the fact of the matter was that the Espers wouldn't be helping them. They had to find a new way out.

"Is there _any_ spell that could help?" he asked again, and Sith frowned, "Bahamut said you killed the person who released them in the first place. You have to have done something, right?" That was definitely the wrong thing to ask. Sith's eyes narrowed, and the blonde man clicked a gun, aiming right at Ryou. But Sith held a hand, and the man reluctantly lowered the weapon. She shook her head.

"I must have, and in time, we'll learn," she said, her voice barely breaking as she tapped her chin, "We know that for every spell and element, there's an adjacent one that counteracts it. We just need… to know what to do to manipulate Amber's power. It shouldn't be hard; she's not particularly skilled." Ryou didn't want to tell her that Amber did _this_ part on purpose, so he didn't. He looked at the blonde man, but the man seemed just as confused as he stared off into the black. Ryou turned back to Sith.

"Got any ideas, Sith?" he asked her. She nodded grimly, which he wasn't sure he should've liked. That usually meant her ideas were very bad.

"Portals are like doorways. They can't differentiate between letting one in and letting them out. We can use that," she replied after a moment of thought, pacing around, "Amber will use the spell again. I know it. It'll be the only way to dispose of Yami and Bakura, both of whom she seems as equally a threat as myself. When she does, we may be able to get out through there." Ryou didn't know much about how powerful X-Borgen was supposed to be, but he didn't want to believe it'd be that simple. For one thing, it might take some time for Amber to even find Yami, and that's assuming she didn't kill Yugi first. And for the second, even if Sith was right, they might still escape too late to save themselves. He shook his head.

"Are you _certain_ she'll actually use the spell again?" he asked her in what she took as skepticism. She nodded, her sly smile returning.

"This is Amber. She'll do whatever she can to cause whatever hell she wants," she replied truthfully, "I know she will. It's just a matter of when." Magic must've liked Sith then, because right after she spoke, there was a ripple in the sky. It was slow and small at first, but eventually it widened out and spun in on itself, like a tornado hanging in mid-air. She laughed heartily and said, "Speak of the devil!"

"Let's kick ass," the blonde man said. And then they leapt into the portal.

Sith had been right when she said the portal was like a doorway. The transition had been easy. Hell, it barely felt like anything at all before it ended. In one instance, they were diving through darkness, passing abruptly beyond veils of bright stars and flashing lights, the voids of Oblivion passing beneath them. And in the next, they were in the room, just as before. The inferno had died down, the red haze dissipating from the passing time. Ryou was both relieved and worried to see that neither Yugi nor Malik were there. And he wasn't surprised that the room was in complete disarray. Sith really had destroyed the place with her spell, and the portal seemed only to complete the disaster. In the middle of the wreckage stood Amber. And she seemed quite shocked to see all three of them there.

"Why am I not surprised by this?" she asked almost mockingly as she strode forward, expression grim, "Well, now, I suppose this means I'll need to unleash another spell."

"Go ahead and try. You'll probably just kill yourself in the process," Sith retorted, drawing her sword, "But if you're willing to risk that, I say go for it. Hell, you probably already killed our friends by now. What's three more corpses for you?" Ryou stared at her in complete and utter disbelief. _That_ was how she'd end the battle? By _asking to die_? Right then, Ryou didn't trust her sanity. Amber just snorted, shaking her head. Obviously, someone was knocked a bit too hard in Oblivion. She shrugged.

"I may or may not have done that," Amber remarked, and then grinned, "As for death, it'll be a good price if it means ridding the world of _you_ for once." Sith smirked. To actually assume anything could really kill her, after she lived through most of this, was actually pretty funny to her. Amber was highly unskilled, but Amber herself seemed to not really see this. That would most likely be her downfall. That, and Sith's sword. It was Sith's turn to shrug this time, though her sword never left her hand.

"So you'll save me a few thousand years of personal hell. I'm not sure I'm seeing the overall difficulty you're thinking," the older woman said. Ryou shook his head. This wasn't exactly what he thought 'kicking ass' was like, and he knew this wasn't what the blonde man intended, either. But for whatever reason, Sith and Amber were bantering. Maybe it was in Encounters for Dummies somewhere. Ryou wasn't exactly an expert with death matches, after all. But the insult had stricken home. Amber grew outraged.

"I have to admit, Winchester, you're honest. I guess that's what mother liked best in you," Amber commented, her voice dropping to a hiss, "But honesty won't help you." Sith's brow quirked. Then without warning, Amber body-slammed her into the ground. Sith yelped, surprised at the strength in the smaller girl. But they crashed to the floor, Amber clawing at Sith. Sith kicked her off effortlessly, though, and sent her flying.

"You've gotten stronger, but that's not going to help," Sith wheezed, the air having been knocked right out of her during her fall, "Damn, Ryou, get out of here. She's toying. Leave her to…" Amber was much faster at recovering. She slammed Sith again, and this time she slammed the woman's head into the floor. Sith screamed, and then smelled blood running down her face. She heard a gunshot somewhere above, but didn't know who fired what, or where. She closed her eyes as someone pushed Amber off of her.

"Ryou, what the fuck are you doing!?" she barely heard the blonde man screaming, "Fight already! She got Sith!" Sith tried to look up and see just what was happening. But her vision was too blurry now. Damn it all, she was losing too much blood. She heard two clangs of a sword, and hoped to all hell that Ryou was safe.

"Keep her alive!" Ryou called back, and Sith knew he was all right. He had drawn his own sword, the blade alive with blue fire as he faced Amber now. Sith realized quickly that she'd been down longing than she expected; what she could see of the battle, she barely comprehended. But she felt five points of powerful energy, and she felt tremors in the ground. Neither were a particularly good sign.

Ryou simply stood, sword held out in front of him to deflect as he tried to figure out how to move next. It hadn't taken long, but Amber had anticipated at least one of them coming back. He saw all five orbs allocated in five different points of the room. And all of them were glowing. Amber must've just been talking to stall long enough for their cores to strengthen. And now she could release them. She'd been waiting. That was probably why she let him go so easily. And like an idiot, he took it.

"Are you scared yet?" Amber asked slowly, her voice wavering oddly, "You should be, Ryou Bakura. As soon as I give the word, Winchester dies. It's only a matter of time before she bleeds to death, and even if she doesn't… as soon as I release these spells, their power will kill her off before she can seal them _again_." Ryou had no doubt that any of the spells would do that to Sith. His lips thinned. The orbs weren't just glowing. They were _pulsing_. The energy in them was too powerful; they really would shatter, and he took a guess that if they did, it'd take all three of them out. He acted without thinking and threw his sword to the closest one. It merely bounced off. Amber just laughed, "You can't possibly do anything about it!" Ryou glanced behind him. The blonde man was trying to keep Sith up, but it was clear it wasn't going well. Ryou had to do something. He turned back to Amber. Each passing second seemed to warp her further from humanity.

"Why?" he asked her, "Why are you doing this!? Your mother wouldn't have wanted this! Not for you!"

"What could you possibly know, Ryou Bakura!?" Amber spat venomously. There was no mistaking the evil in her voice; she was tainted by Oblivion. "You know _nothing_. You know nothing about us, nor about _her_! And to think, _you_, the one to stop me?" Amber laughed hysterically, and one of the orbs imploded, releasing red dust as it did so. "You, who hated us so palpably! You, who can't even let well enough alone!" Another orb exploded behind him, and he heard the blonde man shriek in pain. But this time, Amber didn't speak to him. She was looking behind Ryou as well, and Ryou understood now that she wasn't speaking to him, but to the blonde man. "And now look at you. You can't save her, you can't even save yourself. You will always be a _loser_!" That was the last word Amber spoke before Sith reacted.

Ryou wasn't quite sure what happened; it had happened so quickly that he was half-wondering if he dreamt the entire thing up. He saw Sith stand, despite her injury and the blood coating half her face, and he saw her mouth move. But it went so quickly, he couldn't make out the words. Then, he felt a powerful blast of energy, one he had never, ever felt before. It knocked him out of himself. He hadn't exactly fallen unconscious, but after he crashed into the floor, he had a hard time remembering the facts afterward. He remembered a bright blue light, blinding, flashing, pulsating where Sith stood, extending outward like a mystical shockwave as it crashed into everything around her. He remembered hearing crates exploding. He remembered Amber screaming. And then he remembered hearing just one word from Sith. Her voice was calm, and normally he could never remember her spells after she cast them. But this time, he remembered. Oregashyn was the word. And after Sith spoke it, the entire place lit up.

Even to the point of being outside, Ryou couldn't remember how he'd gotten there. But he did know he was safe. As he sat up, feeling his hair for matted blood, of which there was none, he remembered seeing one last image before passing out. A white-haired feline creature carrying him, moving more swiftly than he thought was humanly possible. He couldn't place who it was, but it was gone now. And it saved his life. But where was the blonde man? And where was Sith? Ryou couldn't see them, either.

"I didn't honestly think you'd be up so soon," came Sith's voice, and Ryou turned. She was standing near a tree, using it for support. Her overcoat and shirt were covered with blood, both blue and black, and her face looked worse for the wear. Her hair, normally tied with a bandana, was let loose like a feral mane around her face. She looked both beautiful and horrifying at the same time.

"Sith, what happened!?" he asked her frantically, "What happened to the man? What about Amber!? What of…"

"Rest assured that Amber is dead," Sith told him, but something in her voice didn't sound quite right, "And that the orbs are gone." Ryou frowned. He knew something was wrong. He stood up and walked over to her. And as he came close, he realized he couldn't feel her power. He stopped.

"Your magic," he whispered. Sith nodded, her face gaunt now. She looked exhausted.

"I unleashed them," she replied tiredly, "And lost my magic. But now the Mystics can't use them. That's enough… for me." Ryou took her arm and led her to the closest thing to sit on. It was a broken table.

"Maybe you should rest for now," he told her. She didn't object, and he found himself sitting with her as well. For a time, neither spoke. It grew eerily silent, and when minutes passed, Ryou wasn't sure Sith _would_ speak. So, they sat and waited. What they were actually waiting for, Ryou didn't know. But until he knew Sith was all right, he didn't want to try scouting for other survivors. So, as usual, he didn't. And for right then, he didn't entirely mind that.

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

After finding Sith and the blonde man, Ryou escapes from Oblivion and finally faces off against Amber. When she goes too far, however, Sith steps in and does the one thing that can kill her: unleashing all of the spells at once. But what is the cost of such a move? What happened to everyone else after Amber let Malik leave? And how will Domino recover from such a brutal assault? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!


	26. Aftermath: Hesitation

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Takahashi does, and he says that if Sith does end up with Ryou, technically he should own her too.

It'd been some time before Sith spoke once again. During that time, Ryou looked around to see just how badly Sith's own spells devastated the land. The answer was, thankfully, small. Amber pretty much destroyed everything she could. Sith had done very little, though that was only because Amber had done so majestically first. Ryou just sighed as he looked. Every building had been blown apart; it'd take years to rebuild unless the Espers decided to help them with the recreation as well. But the good news was, casualties were a minimum. Already, birds were flying back to their old homes, and the sun was just beginning to peak out of the clouds, sending a ray slanting on the barren lots. Sith snorted. It all looked so damn pathetic.

"It brings absolutely nothing to have those spells sealed or unsealed," she said bitterly, and Ryou turned to her, "Either way, it causes havoc and chaos. What the hell was even the point!?" Ryou bit his lip. Sith was right. Even sealed, the spells are what brought Amber here, and even sealed, Amber had found a way to use them regardless. He should've asked Bahamut the same question Sith just posed. But then he was sure Fenrir would've killed him, too. He shrugged, leaning back.

"But at least now, the other Espers can watch out for them, right?" he asked. That did nothing to lighten her irritation. She crossed her arms, setting one foot on the table.

"As long as I'm the one suffering, I'm sure the Espers think it's just dandy," she growled. Ryou sighed quietly and looked down. He was sure this wasn't what Bahamut wanted, but he didn't blame Sith for being angry. Technically, they did leave their problems to her, and some even blamed her for it. That part wasn't fair.

"Think Bahamut would be willing to help?" he asked her. This got a disgruntled, almost mocking snort from the woman. She smiled; it was ruefully.

"With what? Arresting me? If he gets his claws on me, he'll certainly do that," she said grimly, and then her smile grew, "Good news is, my physical strength hasn't diminished. Even if another Mystic comes, I'll slice them with Zealacht." Ryou was worried about that, but he didn't press further. For then, they could relax a little. It would take time for Sith to get used to being without magic. And the Mystics would need time to appoint another assassin, too. Not that it'd help. Ryou wasn't sure who'd be able to actually kill Sith at this point. From what Bahamut said, she's lived over three thousand years and nothing stopped her stride, yet.

In the distance, Sith had caught a bit of movement, and holding a finger up to silence Ryou, she squinted to see further. She couldn't imagine who would actually still be in the city, or who'd be stupid enough to stay, but when they came close and she finally was about to see a blur of white, she knew who it was. Bakura. And he was leading a team behind him. Without her glasses, she couldn't point out specifics. But Ryou knew exactly who was there. All of their friends had come rushing back. Perhaps Sith's spell did more than simply demolish Amber; perhaps it alerted the three spirits as well.

"_YOU DID IT, RYOU!_" Malik roared in pride as they ran toward where he and Sith sat, "We saw the whole damn thing! Dude, those explosions… they nearly blew Ishtar's socks off!" The spirit in question looked agitated enough for Ryou to believe Malik. Within two minutes, his friends surrounded him, all of them cheering and laughing as they hugged him and gave him high-fives. Sith was happy to let him receive them, as well. She wasn't in the mood to celebrate.

"No one's hurt?" Tea asked, turning to Sith and hugging her, "…Sith? You okay?" Sith said nothing, and then Tea let it pass as she asked, "Whatever happened to Amber?" This time, Sith did speak. She smiled wryly.

"Dead," the woman replied, "And if not, then pretty damn close to it." Ryou's face paled. Just before, Sith had said she was sure Amber was dead. Then again, Sith was like that; never giving true answers, or at least changing them when she wanted. He just patted her shoulder as Tea gasped and turned to Miho, who looked similarly awed. Obviously, the fact that _someone_ committed murder wasn't a big bother to either of them.

"You got her," he assured her, and she laughed, "Trust me, Oregashyn killed her." Sith stopped laughing, and likewise, everyone else fell silent at the name, too. Ryou realized now why that was. Normally, no one but Sith could recite the name. But it had such a massive impact, and it sounded so clear amidst the chaos. He doubted he could've forgotten it, and if he ever would. Rex looked at Sith critically, his eyes widened with worry.

"But… Oregashyn… isn't that one of those sealed spells?" he asked in the silence, cutting it like butter, "Winchester, what happened?" Sith's good guess was that Rex already knew. But she'd humor him. Hell, if it hadn't been for him, she wouldn't have been able to kill Amber. He deserved to know.

"I released the spells," she told them all, and many of their mouths dropped open in terror, "They can't be learned by anyone else except for Bahamut… or myself. And I certainly won't be using them." No one was surprised by that, but her tone gave off a clue as to why. Yugi asked her what she meant, and she simply said, "I lost my magic."

"_What!?_" Bakura demanded, eyes burning now, "Why!? Are they serious!? You just saved the fucking universe and they're going to punish you!? You did more than they did! The damn cowards! Those hypocrites!" Sith stopped him with a raised hand. The look on her face was gaunt again. And for once, she looked years and years older. But just for a second. Ryou thought it was from exhaustion.

"I broke the law," she said simply, "Those spells could destroy Oblivion, and I released them anyway. This is better than being killed, trust me." Bakura wasn't so sure about that, but he didn't question Sith. He learned that if she said it was better, it had to be. But no one had to be happy about it. And no one tried to be. Even if magic made their lives difficult, it was still part of Sith, and she was part of them.

"How long will it last?" Yugi asked her, as Tea gave her a hug. Her lips went thin and she took a deep breath. This could be a difficult answer.

"Depends. If they don't think my actions warranted what I did… again, then it could last the rest of my life," Sith replied, and tilted her head, "That's about eight thousand years at least." No one pretended not to be shocked, either. Eight thousand years! Ryou _knew_ now that Sith was thousands of years old. No one lived that long unless they were ancient already. Rex seemed ready to collapse from an answer like that, as blunt as it was.

"If you're going to live to be a billion, they should give your magic back!" Joey declared, brows creased in a sharp V. Obviously, he felt this was a terrible injustice, "I mean, we have to celebrate! And we can't, not when they pulled _this_ shit!" Sith looked away. She didn't want to be the reason that what they did wasn't celebrated. Kaiba glanced at her, and then turned to Joey, crossing his arms stiffly. He knew automatically what Joey was going to say soon, and if he had any intentions of stopping it, he'd have to inadvertently agree with Sith. Never mind that he hated her.

"Celebrate what? Our city being blown to pieces?" he asked flatly, and Sith's fists clenched, "Look, as much as I hate Winchester, I'm going to have to agree here. The woman lost that crap you all call magic. There's no reason to celebrate." Ryou was sure that if no one intervened, Sith would go ballistic and hit Kaiba. Joey didn't give her that chance. He just grinned, as if to prove Kaiba wrong.

"Yes there is, jackass!" the younger man declared, and sharply yelled, "_PARTY AT KAIBA'S!_" And unfortunately for Kaiba, anything Joey suggested, Tristan usually followed. In no time at all, everyone that they'd brought was chanting 'Party at Kaiba's' like a group of lemmings. Sith gave the man a smug look, as though this was exactly what he deserved for badmouthing both her and magic. Kaiba just twitched as she passed him. The only way magic would redeem itself was if he had any that'd actually kill her.

"Are you idiots insane!?" the flustered man demanded, trying to yell above the chanting, "Don't you half-wits remember what happened _last time_ I threw a goddamn _party!?_ _WHY AREN'T YOU INGRATES LISTENING!?_" Unfortunately, no one was. Kaiba just moaned. He didn't _want_ another party. He hated parties. The only thing he hated more was Sith Winchester, and even she hadn't stopped the party. Only Mokuba seemed to have heard him as he walked toward Joey, who was already leading everyone back toward where Kaiba's house had been.

"Awww, come on, Seto! We did just save the world!" Mokuba reminded him. Kaiba growled and watched his own brother cross over to the dark side as Mokuba ran to help Joey out. Then, Kaiba turned to the only person who hadn't been cheering, aside from himself. Pierre had come and taken the sight of what had once been his prized café, his life's work. It was a pile of garbage now. Ashy, smoldering, rotting garbage that would kill a normal person to walk through. Which was, in Kaiba's mind, probably the epitome of the man's feeble existence.

"My café… it is ruined!" he declared in a wave of sobs, further marred by his thick accent, "Non, non! This cannot be! I cannot accept this! My life… my work! Ruined!!" He knelt down, picking up what had once been a china plate. It was a chip of its former self now. Kaiba just snorted, looking from the plate to whatever was left of the building. Whatever the hell Sith did, she pretty much ensured that Pierre would need to either relocate or rebuild the place. Kaiba partly wondered if insurance would even cover a tenth of the damage done.

"Relax, you old fool. You can just rebuild the damn thing," Kaiba mumbled, helping the man to stand, "Hell, I'll even pay for it. If it'll prevent me from going to that terrible party, I'll even come here myself and start plastering." Pierre hardly knew what to say. Here, his life had been torn apart by some spoiled brat, and this man, this miracle… this _angel_ was offering to help him! For _nothing_!

"Oh, thank you, monsieur Kaiba! It is an honor to know you, monsieur!" Pierre exclaimed, this time sobbing in absolute glee, "Please, I insist we build it in your honor! How else can I ever repay you!?" Kaiba growled in annoyance and abruptly turned away.

"Shooting me seems a good payment," the young man said, and with that, the two of them began to head toward where Joey was leading the crowd. It wasn't hard to follow; their chants could easily be heard no matter where in the city they were. Kaiba wished he were dead right then.

It hadn't taken long for anyone to spot Kaiba's house. It seemed to be the only place that survived, at least in that neighborhood. And considering how much money Kaiba had, and how much insurance he probably invested in, that was just as well. Before the man could even unlock the door, Bakura picked the lock off and admitted everyone inside. Immediately, everyone began getting whatever they thought would serve the party. And all Kaiba could do was run into the backyard and watch. And when he saw Tristan, Rex, and Duke Devlin carrying out a stereo system that cost more than their lives, he was just about ready to blow his blood vessels. If magic had any love for him, it should've smote them when they touched the damn doorknob.

"What!? No, _NO!_" Kaiba yelled, though again, no one appeared to listen, "If you dirtbags bust up my stuff, I'm charging you over two-hundred percent interest for it, you hear me!? Leave my things _alone_!" Unfortunately, if he thought that would stop everyone from helping to set up the party, he was sourly disappointed. All Sith could do was snort and stand alongside him as she watched everyone continue to hustle. The stereo was safely installed, and in less than ten minutes, the dance floor was laid out, the tables were set, and even guards began to help out by bringing out food. And when Rex took it upon himself to begin playing the music, the party was officially started.

"I can't believe Kaiba actually agreed to another party!" Tea exclaimed as she and Yugi started dancing to the heavy techno beats that Rex was pumping out. Sith snorted in amusement again, and shook her head as Kaiba stormed away, back inside his house. She almost felt bad. Except that this was pissing him off.

"I hate to burst your bubble, but he didn't," she reminded the girl, and smirked, "Hopefully, it won't be too…" She didn't finish before she was hit with a torrent of pool water.

"_DIVEBOMB!_" Tristan roared, again jumping in the pool and splashing Sith with water, "Uh… Sith, you might want to… _SHIT!_" By that time, Sith was more than prepared for returning fire. She had picked up a brick and heaved it right at him. He dived into the water, and the brick whooshed by, slamming Yami right on the head. Jasper's worst nightmare went down with one shot, and this time Bakura and Ishtar were laughing at Sith. Her eye twitched as she saw them. Bakura just gave her the thumbs up.

"Nice shot!" Ishtar called. Sith blushed crimson, knowing that if Yami had been human, he'd be dead. Yugi ran over to see what he could do, but he knew the spirit was down for the count. Sith just chuckled, turning to Ryou and giving him a shrug. Especially since he was glaring at her.

"I guess we should be happy it missed Tristan," she simply said, as though that were any reason to not be worried. Ryou turned away, and then cringed when he heard the next song Rex played. Why Kaiba would have a Rick Astley CD was beyond everyone's comprehension, but Joey decided it was a good choice. He practically threw himself onto the dance floor.

"Man, I love this song!" Joey replied, and began to do a dance move that had died in the late 70's, to which everyone had prayed it would stay dead. Kaiba looked over when he heard, 'Never gonna give you up,' and just shook his head. He really prayed hard that a freak lightning bolt would kill him. Or Rex. Or everyone else, for that matter. But none came. Finally, Ryou turned to Sith.

"We're just lucky my father isn't here," he stated. But he spoke too soon. Tea gave him a worried glance and pointed outside of the fence. Sith looked to where she indicated. Ryou swore he'd never heard her laugh so hard in either of their lives. And when he looked as well, he wished a lightning bolt would kill him, too. For right there was Yaten Bakura, walking over, completely decked out in his safari gear.

"_RYOU, WHERE ARE YOU!?_" he yelled, as guards ran out of the house toward him, "Son, that dog of yours needs a walk, and the maid's gone out!"

"Sir, get out of the garden. You're stepping on the flowers," one guard said. But Yaten simply ignored him as he spotted Ryou, who immediately grabbed Sith's hand and hid among a crowd of people that stopped by for Kaiba's party. Yaten ran to the fence to try and get to his son. Not only did he end up destroying more flowers, but he lost sight of Ryou, too. And he was pissing the guards off.

"Ryou, where are you going!?" Yaten called, but that simply made Ryou move faster, "I'm your father! Listen to me!"

"Sir, get down from there! You're disturbing Master Kaiba's garden!" another guard yelled, grabbing Yaten's leg, "GET OFF THE FENCE!" Finally, he dragged Yaten off, resulting in a large crash as a series of curses erupted from all guards and Yaten involved. Everyone who wasn't completely enthralled with Joey's moves turned to where the fight was ensuing. The only ones ignoring the fight were Ryou and Sith, the former of which kept wishing something would kill him, the latter of which couldn't even believe Yaten was actually alive, let alone able to find them. She cursed whichever god favored the Bakura line that day. And apparently, so did Kaiba. He stormed to the gate, kicked it open, and stormed right in the throng of dust, pushing whoever got in his way away.

"_GET OFF OF MY PROPERTY THIS INSTANCE!_" he screamed at Yaten, "You're ruining my damn flowers! I don't know where your son is, and I don't care! I hate your son! I hate your son, I hate your maid, I hate this party! So _GET OFF MY LAWN_!" After that, the fight promptly ended. In a match of rage, only Sith could've possibly outdone Kaiba, and she wasn't there. No one wanted to argue with the man, not even Yaten, who calmly stood and dusted his shirt off as though this weren't a problem. And to him, it wasn't. He was just looking for his boy.

"Well, if you tell me where my son is, I'll leave," Yaten replied calmly, "He's a good boy, but he needs to learn about responsibility and what it means to have a dog." Kaiba wasn't personally interested in whatever problems Yaten had, and he simply pointed in a random direction to get rid of the man. He happened to nail Ryou's location exactly, and Yaten followed it. Ryou moaned miserably as he saw his father approach them from the gate, and Sith just snorted again, as though this were the most amusing thing she'd ever seen. Ryou wished she'd just shut up.

"Dad, what is it!?" he demanded, turning to his father, "We're at a party!"

"And as much as I'm happy to see you leave the house for once, your dog needs a walk," Yaten replied simply, "So unless this is a Dungeons and Dragons party, get back home and walk him." Ryou simply stared at him in disbelief. His father had walked nearly five miles to tell him to walk a dog that wasn't even _his!_ Never mind that Yaten could've walked the dog! Never mind that Rush would just jump a window if he needed to go out! Yaten just did whatever the hell he wanted _again_.

"Dad? You could've just walked the dog _while_ coming here," Ryou pointed out flatly. Sith snorted. As much as she had confidence that the boy made a good point, logic would always be lost on Yaten. The man tapped his chin, either actually considering that or just pretending to. Then he shrugged. He opted on pretending. Mainly because he felt he was the father and he was right.

"But would that have made you a better citizen?" Yaten asked his son, and when Ryou didn't answer, he said, "No. Now let's go…" Yaten stopped when Rex changed the music. Someone really should've explained what good party music was, for he switched from Rick Astley to a song by Human League. And unfortunately, it happened to be one of Yaten's favorites. He said, "My god, I haven't heard this song in _years_!" and proceeded to dash right onto the dance floor, immediately forgetting any lesson he was trying to teach Ryou. Ishtar walked past Ryou, and snorted as he saw the whole ordeal.

"Is that freak really your father?" he asked smugly. Ryou glared as the man sipped his beer, and almost considered pushing him over. He could've fallen, if he was drunk.

"You shouldn't be calling anyone a freak," Ryou ended up mumbling, stuffing his hands in his pockets. He noticed Sith backed away a step, and heard a distant 'he's probably drunk' issuing from her mind. He nodded slightly, and knew she was probably right. Of course, being a spirit, Ishtar didn't show any signs on intoxication. Yet.

"I'm not the one related to one of the Bee Gees over there," the spirit remarked rather snidely, and cackled again as he decided to cut across the dance floor. If he were sober, he probably would've thought better, for both Joey and Yaten were in the process of a disco contest, and both were going fast enough to nearly hit him. And at just that second, Malik happened to spot the spirit, who was just about to yell at Joey for nearly smacking him on the head.

"Idiot, get over here before you get yourself hurt!" Malik called furiously, storming over and practically wrestling Ishtar to get him off the dance floor. Bakura just snorted before going to help him out as Ryou continued to watch. Whether he was amused or just freaked out, Sith couldn't actually know. She didn't comment on it, either. And when she asked Ryou if he wanted to leave, he just shook his head and kept watching. She sighed, and decided to head over to the buffet before Tristan ate all the food. It was supposed to be quiet over by the food.

"Tell me someone else is enjoying this waiting disaster," she mumbled as she grabbed a leg of chicken and sat down at the closest table, next to Tea and Yami. Tea looked up at her and flashed a sympathetic smile. She understood completely that Sith wanted nothing to do with this party.

"I think I am," Tea replied, and chuckled, "If only because I get to see everyone else have fun." Sith just mumbled something incoherent as she bit into the chicken leg. Tea watched her for a second, stunned into silence from the woman's attitude. She didn't have to be there. Then again, she probably was because Ryou was there. Cautiously, Tea asked, "What about you? Are you liking the party?" She heard Yami snorting as Sith looked up at her flatly, as though that were the stupidest thing to ask. To someone like Sith, who _hated_ socializing, it probably was.

"No," the woman replied bluntly, and this time, Yami actually did laugh, "I think this is pretty stupid. We're celebrating the fact that I fucked up and lost my magic. Whoop-de-doo. The only good thing that happened is that Amber's dead, and I don't think we should be celebrating murder." Yami abruptly shut up at that. Sith was kind of right, whether he wanted to admit it or not. And from her point of view, he could see why she thought the party was a stupid idea. He merely shrugged and sipped his wine.

"You're always a grump," he commented, and when Sith glared, he said, "Look, Sith, we're friends. But you don't have to be so grim. Lighten up. Even Mr. Bakura is…" He looked over, and instantly regretted it as he screamed, "_OH RA, MR. BAKURA'S GOING TO KILL ME!_" He dove, and as Sith and Tea looked over to see what the problem was, the giant disco ball above the dance floor flew over their heads and slammed right through the fence, leaving a path of debris and dust in its wake. The two women coughed as Bakura came by, bending down to try and help Yami out.

"We're dead, so there's no point," the thief reminded him bluntly, as they crawled out from under the table. Then they saw what actually caused the rogue assault. Or more smelled it. Ishtar came over, walking crookedly as he did, and proceeded to try sitting himself between Sith and Tea, neither one enjoying the newfound company one bit. If fact, Bakura was sure that if the drunken idiot didn't move, Sith might actually kill him right there.

"What the hell!? I told you to _stay inside_!" came Malik's voice as he and Katt ran over, a towel and a bucket with each of them. Sith raised a questioning brow as Katt stopped, obviously wondering just how they were actually supposed to subdue a spirit. He could probably just vanish if he wanted to.

"What happened?" the older woman asked, her voice flat again. Malik sighed heavily, rubbing his forehead with his palm as though he couldn't believe _he_ had to deal with this. Katt patted his back.

"Damn idiot got himself completely blasted," the boy moaned miserable, "Been saying shit that doesn't make sense for nearly ten minutes! _DAMN IT, STAY OFF THE DAMN FURNITURE, YOU RETARD!_" Sith shook her head as Tea laughed; Ishtar indeed decided to climb onto the table like it was some sort of stage. Likewise, the unstable spirit looked down at Malik. Sith couldn't tell if he was smug, or just so drunk that his face contorted into being smug. He smelled, though, and that was enough for her to give up trying to guess.

"Leave meeeesh alone!" Ishtar exclaimed, giggling madly as he threw up a can of beer, its contents spilling everywhere along the table, "Looksh! It'sh raining!" He giggled like a little girl as it spilled all over everyone else, and didn't even notice when Sith twitched. Malik, however, had. He reached to stop her when she finally lost it and began to climb up after Ishtar. And he found that stopped her felt like stopping a tank; she was insanely strong. He was glad she wasn't drunk, either.

"Sith, no! I'm sorry! I'll stop him!" he cried, and gulped when she mouthed, 'do it or he dies.' He knew she'd act on it. He turned to Ishtar, who was currently trying to open what he thought was another can of beer. It was a jar of mustard. Frustrated, Malik said, "Put that down or I'm snapping the rod in half!" He went to grab it. If ever there was a thing Sith could credit him, it was bravery. And stupidity. One thing she had learned was that you never mess with a drunk, and what happened next proved why. Ishtar whipped his hand away and kicked Malik in the stomach. The poor boy went flying and slammed into the pool, shattering its glassy surface. And he screamed. It was like being hit with a blizzard.

"You'sh not my mosher, Malish!" Ishtar declared. Right then, Malik didn't care who he was. He was going to let Sith fully handle this now. She gladly did so. She yanked Ishtar's cape, pulling him right off the table, and slammed him in the face with her sword's hilt. Unfortunately, like Ishtar, Sith's strength worked against her. This time, the spirit went flying across the yard, and slammed right into one of the gigantic speakers that blared out the music. Everything froze at that point, as it wobbled back and forth. Any sudden movement… and someone would die. For someone was standing close to the speakers. And that someone was Ryou. Of course he'd be in the line of fire. _Again_.

"_SHIT!_" Sith screamed, realizing she was the reason he'd be dead. She leapt off, not noticing a white-haired man suddenly coming up behind her to see what had happened. He took out a pocket watch, everyone near him staring at him as he worked the contraption. Something happened that no one could quite explain; it was like watching Sith through slow-motion. Everything began to slow down, save for the Esper herself. She continued onward, apparently oblivious to the spell the man had cast to help her, and pushed Ryou out of the way as the speaker finally collapsed. Time resumed normally, and it crashed with a very loud boom, sending sprays of dust and sparks of electricity upwards. Rex backed away, and then ran forward when it looked clear.

"Winchester!?" he called, "Damn it, are you two okay!?"

"We're fine," Ryou called back, as Sith pushed a piece of the speaker away and dragged Ryou out of the pile, "We're okay." They stood, Ryou shivering as Sith kicked at the pile to discharge any electrical discharge. That's when she noticed that something had fallen to the ground, something that wasn't part of the speaker. She bent and picked it up; it was a ring. Brow raised, she turned it over to examine it. There was an emerald gem in the center. Her eyes gleamed as she beheld the gem.

"What on earth is this?" she asked curiously, showing the ring to Ryou. He blushed, and reached into his pocket. And cursed. That was the engagement ring. It fell out during their fall. The man with the watch ran up quickly, breath ragged, and then stopped when he saw the ring. And glared at Ryou. No one seemed to notice him.

"It's nothing," Ryou lied. The white-haired man coughed loudly, deciding now he should intervene. Sith looked over. And her mouth dropped. Aeon had come back. He was perfectly fine. And he looked pissed as all hell, too.

"Aeon!?" she asked, as he slowly stormed forward, "Aeon, what happened?" He ignored her, however, and when he passed her, she went from shocked to grim, "What the hell is wrong?"

"Tell her the truth, Ryou Bakura," Aeon said furiously. It was a subtle fury, and Ryou had a feeling that if he did so, Aeon might actually erase him from time. He went to hide the ring, but Sith stopped him. She looked at him, her expression grave now. Something wasn't right and she knew it. And she knew Aeon wouldn't tell her what it was.

"What in hell's going on!?" she demanded, and Ryou noticed she was trembling, "Someone tell me!" She looked frantically at Aeon, but he looked even angrier than before. He merely pointed to Ryou. She looked back at the younger boy, and he held out the ring again.

"It's an engagement ring," Ryou explained quietly, and Sith's mouth dropped, "I… that is, before Amber came… I was going to ask you to marry me." The thought must've terrified her. She backed away a step, her breathing even worse than Aeon's now.

"Ryou… you…" she shivered, looking down at the ring, "You were… going to…"

"Sith Winchester, will you marry me?" he asked her. Sith's mind went dead. How on earth could she answer that!? She was over three thousand years old, and he was _barely_ eighteen. In what world would that union be acceptable!? And why did he think it was!? She looked around. Everyone else was silent, too. And they were waiting. Her eyes fell on Katt, who was far in the back, watching her carefully. For once in her life, Sith felt hatred. This wasn't what she wanted, but with Katt watching… she sighed. She promised she'd give Ryou a chance. She turned back to the boy.

"Yes…" she said finally, and Ryou smiled. But it was weak. Despite her acceptance, something in her voice didn't feel right. Everyone around them cheered and howled with glee, but Sith looked completely tense, and Aeon turned and vanished from sight. Ryou couldn't have felt worse. But before he could ask what was wrong, Bakura clapped him on the back. He nearly fell over, the thief was that strong.

"Finally, something good comes from this!" the thief declared. Ryou laughed, and then went to accept congratulations from Yugi and Malik. But he saw Sith slink away. She didn't even acknowledge Tea when the young girl gave her a high-five. His smile vanished entirely. This wasn't right at all. But what was wrong? He couldn't understand that at all. And right then, he'd have to wait to ask her.

The party ended late in the evening, by which everyone at the party had offered their blessings to Ryou; Sith had long since retired by herself to the front lawn. Ryou couldn't help but look over and wonder what had been bothering the woman. Surely, this wasn't how one acted upon an engagement. As soon as he bid Yugi and Malik a farewell, Ryou walked over toward the fence. Sith was speaking with Rex and Kaiba; it looked like they were all agreeing with something. Ryou smiled. Now was the right time to ask her what was going on. He went to unlatch the gate. And saw movement behind him. But everyone else had left the party. Hadn't they?

Ryou didn't know what it was, but something made him turn around to see what had come. And it made him ill. The blonde man had come, and this time, his hatred was all but carved into his face. He was shaking, and his gun was loaded and ready. Ryou now understood what was wrong. He proposed to Sith. This man loved Sith. And now this man wanted him to die for proposing to Sith. As though Sith belong to him and him only. His good eye burned in utter fury as he glared at Ryou. Ryou turned to get Sith, but the man snapped his fingers, and Ryou felt his throat lock up. He choked. He couldn't speak, which meant he couldn't alert Sith. The man advanced, and grabbed Ryou's chin, forcing him to look at the man directly. The scar across his face somehow seemed darker than usual. And his eyes looked red, not blue.

"I hate you," the man whispered, "Don't you dare think we won't stop this." Then, he let Ryou go. Ryou stumbled back, and then turned and threw himself at the gate. But, when he looked back, the blonde man was gone. Ryou frowned. Nothing was there anymore. Which meant there was nothing to do except go home. And right then, Ryou knew he wanted nothing more than to collapse in bed. He shivered just once, and then opened the gate to where Sith stood. She had seen what happened. And as Ryou came running, she took his arm and began to lead him home. For at least a little while, he'd be safe there. But only for a little while. Only until the man came back. If he ever did.

-----------------------------(End Story)

After destroying Amber and the orbs, Ryou and Sith are thrown into a party celebrating the death of another Mystic. Unfortunately, the cost for Sith was her own magic, and she doesn't feel that's worth the celebration. After Ryou proposes, he gets a terrifying threat from the blonde man. What does that mean? And why is Sith less than ecstatic to be getting married? What does Aeon or the blonde man have to do with it? Find out in the next installment, Ryou Bakura: Game Master, and click that Review button!


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